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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.”
