Chapter 3 - CIVIL RIGHTS DEMONSTRATION PROTECTION

Section 8-301

Section 8-301

  §  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.

Section 8-302

Section 8-302

  §  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 of New York, 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 forty of the civil rights
law, or to achieve equal rights for  all  persons  regardless  of  race,
creed, color or national origin.