Civil Rights Demonstration Protection

NYC Admin. Code tit. 8, ch. 3

in effect

NYC Admin. Code § 8-301 Legislative declaration.

§ 8-301 Legislative declaration. It is hereby found that the letter and spirit of the constitution of the United States are being violated in some jurisdictions under color of law with the result that persons from this city and state, as well as from other states, are being subjected to discriminatory treatment in the exercise of their constitutional rights because of race or because they seek the removal of unconstitutional barriers to equal rights. Such persons, sometimes referred to as freedom riders and sit-ins, intent upon peaceful resistance to discrimination, segregation and the achievement of the constitutional rights of all persons in all jurisdictions of the United States, have suffered the stigma of criminal proceedings. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the city to remove or to neutralize by affording to such residents appropriate relief to the fullest extent possible, the effect upon residents of this city of such criminal proceedings, resulting from the attempted use of public transportation facilities and other places of public accommodation.

NYC Admin. Code § 8-302 Removal of disability or disqualification.

§ 8-302 Removal of disability or disqualification. Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, no person shall be denied any license, right, benefit or privilege extended by this code, or suffer any other disability or disqualification thereunder, or be denied the right of employment by the city, solely because of any arrest, apprehension, detention, indictment or other accusation, arraignment, trial, conviction or any other aspect of conviction or adjudication of a crime had under the jurisdiction of the courts of any state or of the United States, which is founded on an act or acts arising out of any peaceful demonstration or other peaceful activity, the object of which is to resist discriminatory treatment in any place of public accommodation as defined by section 40 of the civil rights law, or to achieve equal rights for all persons regardless of race, creed, color or national origin. (Am. L.L. 2018/063, 1/19/2018, eff. 10/16/2018)

Source: City of New York, Charter, Administrative Code and Rules (American Legal Publishing XML export, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-5195Fetched: 10/24/2026