EO 61 Directs NYPD Commissioner to Evaluate Changes to Patrol Guide for Protests Around Houses of Worship While Protecting Freedom of Speech and Right to Peaceful Assembly
Our Bureau
New York, NY
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has signed two executive orders that will ensure city agencies continue to make sound financial decisions that protect taxpayer dollars and that protect New Yorkers’ right to practice their religion at houses of worship without harassment, while protecting freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. Executive Order No. 60 prohibits mayoral agency heads, agency chief contracting officers, and any other mayoral appointees with discretion over contracting from engaging in procurement practices that discriminate against the State of Israel, Israeli citizens, or those associated with Israel. The executive order also prohibits the chief pension administrator and mayoral trustees to the city pension system from opposing divestment from bonds and other assets that would discriminate against the State of Israel, Israeli citizens, or those associated with Israel.
Executive Order No. 61 directs the commissioner of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to evaluate potential changes to the NYPD patrol guide to evaluate proposals for regulating protest activity occurring close to houses of worship. Those proposals include the establishment of zones where protest activity would be prohibited or regulated within an area a certain distance from the entrance to a house of worship and the establishment of additional restrictions on protest activities that would be applicable during publicly scheduled religious services.
“New York City has always been this nation’s melting pot, but, too often, over the last few years, we’ve seen those of Jewish ancestry be singled out and targeted. Today, we are ensuring our city government doesn’t participate in that type of behavior and are putting in safeguards that protect New Yorkers’ tax dollars and protect their right to practice their religion without harassment,” said Mayor Adams. “New York City not only has a strong bond with the State of Israel because of our commitment to protecting a Jewish homeland, but also because it has always been a sound financial investment, and our financial decisions should continue to reflect that truth. Today, we are proud to sign this executive order and affirm that our investments and contracts should be made on the basis of what is best for New York City and our economic future, and not in pursuit of discriminatory policies on the basis of politics and national origin. This executive order builds on our long track record of fighting back against antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head and making the investments that help boost our city. Additionally, we are proud to sign an executive order to evaluate additional ways to ensure New Yorkers’ right to peacefully and safely practice their religion at houses of worship, while protecting the First Amendment rights to protest, to which all Americans are entitled. Together, these executive orders put us on a path to addressing these complex issues without discrimination.”
New York City and state law prohibit discriminating against bidders and proposers for city contracts on the basis of their actual or perceived national origin. Despite this, in recent years, there have been calls to exercise social policy through the city’s procurement and pension systems with the goal of harming the economies of targeted nations, including calls to boycott, divest from, and sanction (BDS) the State of Israel, which has strong economic and social ties with the City of New York. Such calls are based on unreasonable social policies and not a function of sound procurement policy, the fiduciary responsibility of pension appointees, or in the best interests of the respective pension system.
New York City is home to the largest Jewish community outside of the State of Israel, and maintaining deep ties with Israel is rooted in decades of economic and social cooperation. Mayor Adams has made rooting out antisemitism a core focus of his administration. This past May, Mayor Adams established the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, the first office of its kind established in a major city across the nation. Flanked by dozens of leading Jewish advocates, Mayor Adams announced this new effort to establish an inter-agency taskforce dedicated to fighting antisemitism in all its forms, liaise with the New York City Law Department on appropriate cases to bring or join, advise on executive orders to issue and legislation to propose to address antisemitism, and work across agencies to ensure New Yorkers feel protected against antisemitism and address incidents of antisemitism, among taking other actions. The office has, and continues to, also work to combat antisemitism at city-funded entities and city agencies.
The City of New York is home to thousands of houses of worship that represent myriad religions and faiths, and which coexist peaceably and add to the diverse fabric of the city. Yet, at times, houses of worship are targets of protests and other actions that can disrupt congregants’ ability to freely exercise their chosen religion and threaten the public safety of worshipers and surrounding neighbors. Federal, state, and local laws have been enacted to ensure access to houses of worship, safeguard protected speech and religious exercise, while maintaining the right to assemble and protest peaceably.
