On Frontline Voices last Friday, artist and educator Rebecca Goyette, and community activist Tahj Sutton illuminated what they think is the purpose of the Buffer Zone Bill and which communities are missing from the broad scope of the bill.
Originally proposed by City Council Speaker Julie Menin, and amended by the NYPD, the bill intended to provide a buffer zone of 25-100 feet from the entrances of houses of worship and schools.
Both Sutton and Goyette spoke out at the 10 hour long City Council hearing on the bill on Wednesday, February 25.
New York based artists, activist and educator, Rebecca Goyette told Frontline Voices the catalyst for the bill originated after pro-Palestinian protesters were outside a synagogue in Kew Gardens, Queens and Park East in Manhattan in early January protesting the property sales supporting land grabs of Palestinian real estate in the West Bank.
“They(Synagogues) sell the land of Palestinian homes before Isreali settlers steal the land, sometimes using threats and actions of murder, rape and jailing in taking the land by force and giving ownership to the new New York City buyer,” said Goyette.
Reports of these land acquisitions have been circulating within the community, yet they have received surprisingly little attention within the wider Metropolitan area. (Who is saying this?)
In 2024 The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/11/new-jersey-israel-palestine-protest-real-estate) reported that the real estate firm, My Home in Israel, has organized several property exhibitions in cities throughout Canada and the United States, including Teaneck, a suburb near New York City. The company’s website advertises “luxury apartments, mini-penthouses, and villas both in Israel and in the occupied West Bank.
According to the real estate company, “two of their apartment complexes are located in the settlement of Ariel, near the West Bank city of Nablus”, and are promoted as offering residents “an urban living experience in a perfect environment.” When clicking on the company's Frequently Asked Questions page (https://homeinisrael-il.com/faqs/), the company claims that a foreign resident “can carry out a real estate transaction in Israel, from start to finish, even without coming to Israel”.
These protests appear to be at the heart of widespread frustration among city residents over the government’s approach to social issues, especially in relation to the crisis in Gaza.
A sentiment amplified by Tahj Sutton, former Brooklyn Board member, who told Frontline Voices, “Schools and places of worship are both sites where protests need to be held because war crimes are being perpetuated through these sites and sadly, systematic and oppressive racism are being facilitated through these sites.”
“Right now, several bills under consideration are part of a comprehensive five-point plan focused on Jewish New Yorkers, but no similar efforts exist for other communities. Where is the legislation supporting residents forced into encampments” Sutton asked. “ Or protecting historically marginalized and currently oppressed groups? What about bills safeguarding college students and the free speech rights of protesters?”
“So yes the “powers that be” are consistently trying to distract us, but this bill along with many others are pervasive and have very real impacts on New Yorkers who are already not protected by the city” she added.
When asked what kind of response they hope to see from Mayor Zohran Mamdani and city officials, both Goyette and Sutton emphasized the need for honesty, urging leaders to call inequality what it is.
“We need the Mayor to maintain the same energy and commitment that he brought into office,” Sutton said. “I want to see equal pressure and support applied to every marginalized group. New York is a melting pot, and our city’s leadership should reflect that diversity in its actions.”
The Mamdani administration has not reached 100 days yet in office but people are paying attention to where he is starting to show alliances and allegiances.
“As an educator, I want to keep my students safe from ICE and be able to discuss current world events openly, without favoritism and without having my free speech suppressed by Zionist interests—they’re already well protected in this city, “ Goyette said. “Right now, we’re all under pressure because of Zionist supremacy, and it’s starting to shape our internal policies. This needs to stop.”
We will continue to track and report on the Buffer Zone Bill before it moves out of committee for a vote.
