Mayor Mamdani’s Veto Of Bill To Give NYPD More Power To Restrict Protests Applauded By The People’s Plan NYC
Photos: Wikimedia Commons New York, NY — The People’s Plan NYC and the Safety Not Censorship Coalition, made up of nearly 100 organizations, applaud Mayor Mamdani’s veto of Intro 175-B, a bill that would have expanded NYPD power to restrict protests around schools and other educational facilities. The Mayor’s veto is backed by more than 100 organizations, unions, and thousands of New Yorkers who sent 25,136 letters to both sides of City Hall, opposing the bill. The coalition has warned that this bill would undermine First Amendment rights and give police broad discretion to limit when and where New Yorkers can gather and speak out. Critically, the bill’s vague definition of “educational facilities” could extend far beyond schools and universities to include libraries, hospitals, and other public spaces across the city, effectively allowing police to control protest and dissent in wide swaths of New York. “At a time when dissent is under attack nationwide, New York should be protecting free speech, not restricting it,” said Zara Nasir, Executive Director of The People’s Plan NYC, on behalf of the Safety Not Censorship Coalition. “Mayor Mamdani made the right decision by vetoing Intro 175-B. This bill would have given the NYPD sweeping power to suppress protest across the city and would have had a chilling effect on free speech, and put students, immigrants, and communities that are already over-policed more at risk. We now urge City Council members to sustain the veto and vote no to keep our communities safe as they exercise their rights.” The coalition calls on Speaker Menin to let the bill die and ensure New York City stays a vibrant home for protest and moral courage. If Speaker Menin chooses to move forward against the wishes of a diverse coalition of New Yorkers opposing this bill, City Council Members must reject any effort to override the veto, vote no, and stand with the broad coalition of New Yorkers fighting to protect free speech and public safety.
Black News 
Photos: Wikimedia Commons
New York, NY — The People’s Plan NYC and the Safety Not Censorship Coalition, made up of nearly 100 organizations, applaud Mayor Mamdani’s veto of Intro 175-B, a bill that would have expanded NYPD power to restrict protests around schools and other educational facilities.
The Mayor’s veto is backed by more than 100 organizations, unions, and thousands of New Yorkers who sent 25,136 letters to both sides of City Hall, opposing the bill. The coalition has warned that this bill would undermine First Amendment rights and give police broad discretion to limit when and where New Yorkers can gather and speak out.
Critically, the bill’s vague definition of “educational facilities” could extend far beyond schools and universities to include libraries, hospitals, and other public spaces across the city, effectively allowing police to control protest and dissent in wide swaths of New York.
“At a time when dissent is under attack nationwide, New York should be protecting free speech, not restricting it,” said Zara Nasir, Executive Director of The People’s Plan NYC, on behalf of the Safety Not Censorship Coalition. “Mayor Mamdani made the right decision by vetoing Intro 175-B. This bill would have given the NYPD sweeping power to suppress protest across the city and would have had a chilling effect on free speech, and put students, immigrants, and communities that are already over-policed more at risk. We now urge City Council members to sustain the veto and vote no to keep our communities safe as they exercise their rights.”
The coalition calls on Speaker Menin to let the bill die and ensure New York City stays a vibrant home for protest and moral courage. If Speaker Menin chooses to move forward against the wishes of a diverse coalition of New Yorkers opposing this bill, City Council Members must reject any effort to override the veto, vote no, and stand with the broad coalition of New Yorkers fighting to protect free speech and public safety.
