NYC Councils Safe Access bills ensure New Yorkers can passionately protest without being scared to worship

New Yorkers have never been shy about their opinions.We argue loudly about who serves the best pizza or makes the best bagel, and we also protest proudly when matters of the heart tug on our vocal cords.From Stonewall to the Women’s March, freedom of speech is as vital a pillar of our democracy as it is core to our identity.But let’s make one thing clear: While the right to protest is absolutely sacrosanct, it is not a license to deny others their own rights — especially when it comes to praying or learning in peace.No student should be intimidated on their way into school.No parent should have to worry about bringing their child to a house of worship because of the harassment they may face.It feels strange to have to draw those boundaries, and it might even seem unnecessary or overstated — and yet, that is exactly what is happening across our city.We saw worshippers trying to enter Park East Synagogue who were met by a hostile crowd at the front door.We heard demonstrators outside a yeshiva in Queens chanting slogans praising Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, within earshot of congregants.These were not peaceful assemblies down the block.

They were wanton confrontations at the doors to houses of worship.That is not “free expression.” It is intimidation, it is antisemitic and it is the type of intolerance that triggers more hatred.Last week, 73 swastikas were graffitied across a children’s playground in Brooklyn.And on International Holocaust Memorial Day, of all days, a rabbi was verbally and physically assaulted in Queens.It is disgusting, and it is deplorable.But it is not new.Jewish New Yorkers make up roughly 10% of the city’s population, yet last year, they were the victims of more than half of all reported hate crimes.That statistic represents a cruel reality — and as the New York City Council, we must confront it head-on.That is why on Thursday the council is introducing a package of bills to combat antisemitism and to protect s...