NYC NOW - April 22, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: April 22, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: Lawmakers are speaking out about demonstrations at Columbia University. WNYC’s Tiffany Hanssen has more. Meanwhile, New York State is adding 23 criminal offenses to its existing list of prosecutable hate crimes. Plus, students who didn’t receive a spot for New York City’s free summer school program ‘Summer Rising,’ can enter their names on a waitlist.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Monday, April 22nd. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. Lawmakers are speaking out about demonstrations at Columbia University. WNIC's Tiffany Hansen has more. Demonstrations over the war between Israel and Gaza resulted in the arrests of three people on Saturday. protesters gathered again yesterday, prompting state and local lawmakers to weigh in on social media about some rhetoric being used during demonstrations.

Governor Hokel condemned threats against Jewish students posting on X, quote, glorifying the terror of October 7th is anti-Semitism. In a statement, Mayor Adams said he, quote, condemns hate speech in the strongest of terms. He also said he has instructed the NYPD to investigate any violation of law that is reported. 113 people were taken into custody on Thursday when the NYPD cleared out student protesters who set up tent encampments at the school. New York State is adding 23 criminal offenses to its existing list of prosecutable hate crimes. The offenses are being added thanks to a bill that's attached to the state budget, which lawmakers are approved over the weekend.

Manhattan Assembly member Grace Lee co-sponsored the bill. Lee said it was motivated by her own experience as an Asian-American woman. Hate crimes have an incredibly corrosive effect on communities. And when we fail to recognize hate crimes, we are normalizing acts of hate and disregarding victims' experiences. The added offenses include gang activity, child sex trafficking, and choking. They'll be added to the 66 offenses recognized as hate crimes now under state law. Students who did not receive a spot for New York City's free summer school program can

enter their names on a wait list. The program called Summer Rising started during the pandemic, providing instruction in the mornings and activities in the afternoons. Offers for the program went out last week to more than 100,000 families, but nearly 20,000 more applied. Families who did not get in can join the wait list on the My School site. Offers will be made on a rolling basis as seats open up. Taking a look now at that forecast for this Monday. 43 and clear, sunny and 59 today and then tomorrow's sunny and low 60s. It's beautiful.

Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day, for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives. And subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.