The city council on Wednesday unanimously passed a bill that would increase criminal penalties for churches, synagogues and mosques from $ 500 to $ 1,000.
The passage comes as a act of vandalism against religious properties in the city, including recent attacks on gatherings in the Riverdale section of the Bronx.
“Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe in practicing their faith,” counselor Fernando Cabrera (D-Bronx), who sponsored the bill.
Cabrera said, “In the council today we performed our duty to stand up and persevere to protect religious freedom in our great city.”
The bill will come into effect 60 days after it becomes law. A spokesman for Mayor de Blasio said he planned to sign the law, but did not say when.
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