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New York’s Proposed SAFETY Act Targets Terrorist Symbols Amid Rising Anti-Israel Protests
Edited by: Fern Sidman
A new state bill, the Stand Against Flags of Enemy Terrorists (SAFETY) Act, seeks to criminalize the display of terrorist group symbols, including those of Hamas and Hezbollah, in acts intended to harass, intimidate, or threaten individuals, according to a recently published report in The New York Post. This legislation, set to be introduced by Democratic state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblyman Micah Lasher, marks a significant expansion of New York’s aggravated harassment laws, potentially making the display of such symbols a class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison.
This measure builds upon existing state laws that already prohibit the display of hate symbols such as swastikas, flaming crosses, and nooses—symbols historically linked to violent extremism and racial hatred. The New York Post report indicated that lawmakers have argued that the emblems of mass-murdering terrorist organizations should be categorized in the same way, especially in light of the recent surge in anti-Semitic harassment following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Jewish New Yorkers have been harassed, threatened, and intimidated in unprecedented numbers since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched its brutal terrorist attack on Israel, triggering a new wave of violent conflicts with Hezbollah and other extremist groups. In the aftermath, anti-Israel protests have become more aggressive, frequently featuring flags, emblems, and insignias of designated terrorist organizations, particularly in New York City.
For instance, The New York Post reported that on February 23, more than 150 anti-Israel protesters gathered in Washington Square Park, where a Hezbollah flag was prominently displayed as demonstrators chanted anti-Israel and anti-Semitic slogans. The protest, which was reportedly organized to honor Hamas leaders instrumental in planning the October 7 attacks, further highlighted the growing trend of open glorification of terrorist groups in public spaces.
State Sen. Hoylman-Sigal condemned these actions, stating: “Since the October 7th terror attack in Israel, we’ve witnessed a disturbing rise in anti-Semitic instances here at home, including using symbols and flags of terrorist organizations to harass and intimidate Jewish New Yorkers at their synagogues, businesses, and homes, simply because they’re Jewish.”
He further emphasized that New York has long prohibited symbols of white supremacist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and Neo-Nazis, and that it is time to expand the law to include foreign terrorist groups under the SAFETY Act.
The New York Post report noted that the SAFETY Act has received strong backing from lawmakers, Jewish advocacy groups, and community leaders, who see it as a critical measure against growing anti-Semitism in New York.
Assemblyman Micah Lasher told The New York Post that the SAFETY Act provides an essential tool in the fight against anti-Semitic threats, which have escalated since Hamas’s October 7 attack:
“The SAFETY Act will establish an important new tool in the fight against dangerous anti-Semitism that has sickeningly flourished since the horrific terrorist attack against Israel on October 7th.”
Echoing this sentiment, Eric Goldstein, CEO of the UJA-Federation of New York, told The New York Post that Jewish New Yorkers are facing unprecedented levels of intimidation: “No one should have to face intimidation or the feeling that they are unsafe because of their Jewish identity. The SAFETY Act is a necessary and sensible measure to prevent the use of terrorist symbols as a tool of hate and intimidation.”
Anti-Semitic rhetoric and acts of harassment against Jewish students have spiked on New York’s college campuses, where radical anti-Israel activism has grown more aggressive and confrontational.
The New York Post report pointed to multiple incidents at New York universities, where anti-Israel protests have devolved into physical aggression and harassment. For example, last week at Barnard College, an unruly mob of keffiyeh-wearing protesters stormed the administration building, assaulting a security guard and escalating tensions on campus.
Additionally, according to the report in The New York Post, Governor Kathy Hochul and CUNY administrators were forced to cancel a planned event at City College in Harlem due to security concerns stemming from violent anti-Israel protests. These developments reflect the broader breakdown of civil discourse, where supporters of Hamas and Hezbollah are increasingly emboldened to threaten, intimidate, and harass Jewish students and faculty.
Lawmakers argue that the SAFETY Act is essential to restoring order and preventing open displays of terrorist propaganda from fueling further violence in public spaces.
Despite the strong support for the SAFETY Act, some legal experts caution that criminalizing the display of symbols could face First Amendment challenges. However, The report in The New York Post noted that New York law already restricts certain hate symbols, setting a precedent for limiting expressions that incite violence, harassment, or intimidation.
Sen. Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblyman Lasher emphasize that the bill does not target general political speech but rather aims to curb acts of intimidation in which terrorist symbols are used to harass or threaten individuals based on their identity. Similar laws banning KKK imagery, Nazi swastikas, and other hate symbols have been upheld as valid restrictions on intimidation rather than free speech.
As anti-Semitic incidents continue to rise in New York and across the United States, the SAFETY Act represents a decisive response to terrorist glorification in public spaces and protests. With bipartisan support and backing from Jewish advocacy organizations, the bill aims to ensure that New York remains a safe environment for all its residents, particularly those targeted for their Jewish identity.
By explicitly banning terrorist symbols used in acts of harassment and intimidation, the SAFETY Act sends a clear message: New York will not tolerate the glorification of terrorism or the weaponization of hate symbols to threaten its communities.
