For months, some City Councilmembers have been making a statement on the Israel-Hamas war by affixing fliers to the fronts of their desks — many of them featuring photos of Israeli hostages.
But on Thursday those signs were gone, thanks to a memo sent to Councilmembers that no signs or flags could be displayed without prior approval from Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. She said that was in accordance with Council rules.
“We felt that we’d given a lot of latitude for members to express themselves via the signs,” she said at a news conference. “And now it’s just time — let’s just go back to the rules.”
What You Need To Know
- City Councilmembers this week were told to remove signs from their desks, including those expressing views on the Israel-Hamas war
- Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said the directive is in accordance with Council rules
- Councilmembers complied with the new policy at Thursday’s meeting, but some left open the possibility of a legal challenge
Brooklyn Councilman Kalman Yeger was among those who took exception to the policy.
“When she says that this has always been the rule, she’s lying,” he said.
While Yeger had planned to display a hostage flier Thursday in defiance of the policy, he and others ultimately kept them attached to their clothing.
Yeger says his memory of Council practices dates to 1994, when he became a Council staffer.
“There has never been a rule in the Council that you can’t put something on a desk,” he said. “It’s always been the case. Look at Pride Month — flags all over, going back to every speaker. This is the sixth speaker. There’s never been a speaker who said you can’t do it. It’s fake. It’s garbage. It’s junk.”
Speaker Adams said it’s not only a matter of decorum but also of historical preservation.
“Those are very, very old desks,” she said. “They do carry tradition. And I can let you know that sometimes the materials that are used for the posters can cause damage.”
Thursday’s Council meeting saw full compliance, and the signage issue was not raised during the meeting. But some members left open the possibility of a legal challenge.
Civil rights attorney Norman Siegel says they’d have a case.
“When a City Council person has pictures of Israeli hostages and they want them to be freed, that City Council person, his or her expression — that’s protected under the First Amendment,” Siegel said. “It’s an abuse of power, abuse of discretion by the Speaker.”