Protesters picket Manhattan synagogue over Israel real estate sale
The Forward • • world
Key Points:
- Over 100 protesters gathered outside Park East Synagogue in Manhattan to protest a real estate event promoting property sales in Israel and the West Bank, with chants viewed by Zionist groups as antisemitic and calls for violence.
- The protest occurred under a new city law allowing flexible buffer zones around houses of worship, which grants the NYPD discretion to determine protest distances case-by-case; demonstrators were kept over 100 feet away from the synagogue.
- The law was introduced following previous clashes at the synagogue and amid criticism of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's response; Mamdani allowed the law to pass without his signature but vetoed a similar bill for schools.
- The mayor’s office condemned the real estate event as violating international law but emphasized commitment to ensuring safety and First Amendment rights for all parties involved.
- Local politicians and community leaders expressed concern over the protest’s impact on Jewish residents and debated whether the new law adequately balances free speech rights with protecting houses of worship from harassment.
