Asian Wave Alliance Urges NYC Council to Override Mayor Mamdani’s Veto: Students Must Be Able to Safely Learn in School

New York, NY – May 19, 2026 – Asian Wave Alliance (AWA), a nonpartisan group dedicated to advancing the interests of Asian American New Yorkers today called on members of the New York City Council to override Mayor Mamdani’s veto of the School Safe Access bill, emphasizing that every child in New York City deserves to enter and exit their school building safely so they can focus on learning without fear or disruption.

The bill is simple and focused solely on student safety: it requires the NYPD to develop clear operational plans so that students, parents, and school staff can safely enter and exit buildings when protests threaten to block access or spark confrontation. It does not authorize police to shut down lawful protests or punish demonstrators for their views. When tensions rise outside a school, there is no protocol. Children have already been caught in the middle — not because of intentional harm, but because no one was required to plan ahead. This bill fixes that. It ensures our students can walk through the school doors, sit down in class, and learn — without fear that they might be blocked, delayed, or endangered for simply going to school.

The question before the Council is not whether its members support lawful peaceful protests or protected free speech; the question is whether New York City will guarantee that every student can safely reach their classroom and learn without interference. Asian Wave Alliance respectfully urges every member of the New York City Council to vote to override the veto and pass the School Safe Access bill. Our students’ safety and their ability to learn must come first.

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