Council Bill Targets NYPD Protest Tactics

Council member Chi Ossé is pushing the CURB Act, which would restrict how police respond to protesters in New York City.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Law Enforcement

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a plain municipal building facade with a flagpole and long shadow across stone steps, evoking civic debate over policing. — Council member Chi Ossé is pushing the CURB Act, which would bar the NYPD's Strategic Response Group and ban kettling and tear gas against protesters. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should New York City limit how police can handle protesters?

Council member Chi Ossé is championing the CURB Act, a bill that would regulate how the NYPD polices protests, including limits on tactics used by its Strategic Response Group. The bill had 26 cosponsors by press time, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he supports its spirit.

Why it matters

The bill would change how New York City police handle demonstrations, from kettling and crowd-control weapons to sound devices and reporting requirements. Its progress depends on whether a hearing is scheduled, which Council member Oswald Feliz has not done.

The bill has 26 cosponsors and has not advanced to a hearing, as Council member Oswald Feliz has not scheduled one. Five people were taken into custody at the Oct. 8 protest, and it is not yet clear whether Council member Eric Dinowitz will sign on.

The players

Chi Ossé

Ossé is a New York City Council member who is sponsoring the CURB Act to regulate NYPD protest policing.

Oswald Feliz

Feliz is a New York City Council member whose committee has not scheduled a hearing on the CURB Act.

Zohran Mamdani

Mamdani is the mayor of New York City, who has said he supports the spirit of the bill.

New York Civil Liberties Union

The New York Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit advocacy group that criticized police conduct at the Oct. 8 protest.

The details

The CURB Act would prohibit deployment of the NYPD Strategic Response Group and ban kettling, bicycles, tear gas, and pepper spray against protesters. It would also ban long-range acoustic devices over 90 decibels and require the NYPD to submit and post detailed protest response reports.

2015: The Strategic Response Group was established.
Spring 2024: The unit was deployed to universities to clear student encampments.
Oct. 8: Five people were taken into custody at a protest outside Allen Hospital.
Oct. 13: Ossé accused Feliz of blocking the bill.
Oct. 28: Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he supports the spirit of the CURB Act.

Legal Context

The CURB Act would restrict the NYPD Strategic Response Group, which was established in 2015 and deployed to university campuses in spring 2024 to clear student encampments. The bill would reshape how police in New York City handle demonstrations under that unit's framework.

If passed, the bill would limit how officers use kettling, tear gas, pepper spray, and sound devices at demonstrations in New York City. It would also require the NYPD to publicly post detailed reports on its protest responses, giving residents more information about how demonstrations are policed.

The takeaway

The CURB Act's fate depends on whether a council hearing is scheduled, which would determine whether the proposed limits on NYPD protest tactics move forward. Residents interested in the bill's progress can track its sponsors and committee actions.