Speaker Menin Fails to Bring Anti-Protest Bill Intro 175-B to Vote due to Overwhelming Opposition from New Yorkers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 20, 2026

MEDIA CONTACTS
communications@drumnyc.org

New York, NY –  Thanks to sustained pressure from New Yorkers and over 100 organizations including labor unions, community-based organizations, parents, students, and civil liberties experts, all opposed to the “buffer zone” bill, City Council Speaker Menin will not call for an override vote of the Mayor’s veto on Thursday, May 20. At a time when free speech is under attack across this country, New York should not be expanding NYPD’s discretion to suppress dissent. 

On Thursday, Speaker Menin will introduce another version of the controversial bill which will still give NYPD discretion to suppress dissent at schools. New Yorkers gathered in front of City Hall once again to celebrate stopping Intro 175-B from passing and to demand City Council reject any bill that would expand NYPD police presence.

In response to the news that Intro 175-B will not pass, Fahd Ahmed, Executive Director of DRUM Desis Rising Up & Moving release the following statement:

“If Intro 175-B had passed, it would have disproportionately impacted Black and Brown students, immigrants, and workers. More police will never make Black and Brown students safer at school. It’s clear that the intent of this bill or any other bill that the Speaker will propose like Intro 175-B are about silencing voices, not increasing safety.

We are opposed to Speaker Menin’s proposal for a new bill that she has signaled that she will rush through City Council. Instead of listening to school communities and learning lessons from this failed veto override process, the Speaker is choosing to follow a path which will lead to the same opposition from New Yorkers. 

City Council members should know that communities are organized and watching. We’ll continue to show up and urge them to block any bill that would increase police presence and chill free speech.”