Mayor Zohran Mamdani vetoed a controversial bill passed by the City Council that would let the New York Police Department establish “buffer zones” around educational institutions during protests.
In a statement on April 24, Mamdani said the measure could limit “New Yorkers’ fundamental right to protest.” He said the bill’s definition of educational institutions was overly broad and that it would apply to universities, museums, and teaching hospitals.
The mayor said he is concerned the bill “could impact workers protesting [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights.”…