A coalition of New York lawmakers introduced new legislation on Wednesday aimed at protecting religious institutions from targeted demonstrations and intimidation directly outside their doors.

NYS Assembly Member Micah Lasher and state Sen. Sam Sutton announced the bill on Dec. 3 with support from other state politicians from NYC, notably Senator Liz Krueger and Assembly Member Nily Rozic.

The proposed bill, which follows last month’s boisterous demonstration led by pro-Palestine supporters outside an Upper East Side synagogue — in which participants shouted antisemitic phrases and slogans — seeks to establish a clear 25-foot buffer zone around houses of worship and healthcare facilities, restricting protests that directly impede access or create a hostile environment for anyone entering or exiting the building.

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“When people walk into a synagogue, church, mosque, or temple, they deserve to feel safe,” Sutton said. “When families trying to enter their houses of worship are instead forced to push past hostile crowds gathered just feet from the door, it’s not peaceful expression, it’s blatant intimidation. New Yorkers deserve better. We cannot and will not allow it.”

To read the full story at amNY, click here.