Eric Adams Responds to Jewish Students' Safety Concerns
Eric Adams Highlights Safety Issues for Jewish Students
MANHATTAN, N.Y. — Jewish students in New York expressed their concerns about safety to Mayor Eric Adams as the school year begins. Many students feel that pro-Palestinian protests are escalating into harassment and intimidation. During a roundtable discussion with Adams and local leaders like Congressman Ritchie Torres, students shared troubling personal stories.
One incident involved pro-Palestinian activists blocking a kosher restaurant’s entrance, preventing Jewish students from having a meal together. Aidan Herzlinger, a Baruch sophomore, stated, “If you’re following students to a kosher restaurant and blocking the door, that is harassment.”
Adams: Balancing Free Speech and Safety
Adams emphasized the need for a zero tolerance approach to harassment while acknowledging the complexities of free speech. He indicated that the NYPD must be actively involved during protests to ensure safety, urging colleges to invite law enforcement seamlessly.
“When people are able to say they are Hamas, we may hate that, but that’s protected speech,” said Adams. “We have to find the balance and make sure we raise our voices to counter the hate that we are seeing.”
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