First-responders bill: Views vary

What’s wrong with trying to put the "civil" back into a civil rights protest?

When "peaceful" protesters throw rocks, spit at law enforcement officers, overturn police vehicles and set them afire, that is far from civil. Arson, looting, civil disobedience and chaos has been reported during some of these "peaceful" protests. Our police (who put their lives on the line for us every day) are there to protect our rights. They are also human and deserve the same rights as the protesters.

When David Kilmnick, president and CEO of the LGBT Network, testified against Josh Lafazan’s bill, he said, "If they [Nassau legislators] truly cared, they would expand the law to protect people discriminated against for who they are" ["Curran seeks AG opinion on police, first-responder bill," News, Aug. 5]. This bill does that.

For the Manhattan Gay Pride parade in June, a group of gay police officers wanted to march with all the other groups. Parade organizers denied their marching in uniform. Who is doing the discriminating?

Police officers and first responders need the Lafazan bill to protect their free speech and civil rights that the rest of us enjoy.

— Michael Sgroi, Brentwood

I am shocked and outraged about the passing of the misguided Lafazan bill and especially the arrogance of the Nassau County legislators who voted for this.

Making police officers and first responders a protected class that can use the county attorney to file lawsuits against protesters, at taxpayer expense, for "discrimination" due to "harassment" and "verbal abuse" is a complete abuse and corruption of the Human Rights Law.

I’ve always supported the police, but this bill goes way too far by putting them above the law and allowing for the legal and financial harassment of individuals exercising their civil right to protest. Out-of-control protesters, like the Jan. 6 rioters, should be arrested and prosecuted. But using county resources to sue citizens for "verbal abuse" during a protest is the height of hypocrisy and harassment.

— Eileen Ziegler, Syosset

My son is a Nassau County police officer. Last summer during the BLM protests, he had to report for an extended time to cover the marches. He walked for hours in the sweltering heat wearing a heavy bulletproof vest. Yes, he was paid overtime. But he was also called a pig, spat at and harassed simply for doing his job.

Newsday’s article said, "No other professions are protected under the Human Rights Law" ["Battle over rights bill," News, Aug. 3]. A police uniform does make a person a target in the eyes of some.

Don’t judge a police officer until you’ve walked a mile in the shoes of a cop.

— James Souther, Hicksville

The bill to allow police officers to sue protesters who "harass" them is insulting to those who are in a demographic that actually faces discrimination, and it goes against our American value of freedom of speech.

Certain groups in America, such as Black Americans, religious minorities and (in certain states) LGBTQ persons are considered a protected class because they cannot remove the trait that leads to them being discriminated against. Black Americans can’t take off a uniform at the end of the day to avoid the discrimination which they face. Police officers are not discriminated against.

The reason protesters are critical of police is because the system of policing and the justice system reinforce a racist and class hierarchy in which the lives of poor and Black Americans are not valued. Drawing attention to this issue should not be considered harassment. Peaceful dissent against power structures should not be penalized simply because it hurts feelings.

— Kara Vecchione, Merrick

Consider if a bill like this was on the books in Minneapolis last year ["First-responder bill OKd," News, Aug. 3].

Think of the witnesses in the murder trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin: Charles McMillian, Donald Williams, firefighter Genevieve Hansen and Darnella Frazier, who recorded the murder on her cellphone. All could have been charged for their restrained but assertive behavior as they pleaded with police, in real time, to stop killing George Floyd.

This bill, if signed into law by Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, will be a dangerous step toward eroding First Amendment rights, discouraging righteous civilian dissent and emboldening any police officers who are so inclined to abuse the considerable power already at their disposal.

— Andrew Malekoff, Long Beach

! support the bill for police and first responders. Although I feel the police could show more respect toward those they police, they in turn deserve respect from those they serve. It is a two-way street.

— Diane McGuire, Northport