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
§ 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.