NEW YORK — The New York City Council on Thursday passed legislation meant to protect houses of worship by a veto-proof majority despite opposition from leftist and anti-Israel groups, part of the council leadership’s broader push to rein in rampant antisemitism in the city.

The bill passed by a vote of 44 in favor and five opposed in the 51-member council.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin led the effort to pass the legislation, which came in response to two vitriolic protests outside synagogues in recent months that unnerved Jewish New Yorkers, who are targeted in hate crimes far more than any other group.

The legislation directs the NYPD to “establish a plan to address and contain the risk of physical obstruction, physical injury, intimidation, and interference at places of religious worship,” and to make those plans public. The bill does not bar protests or establish buffer zones at any specific distance, and police already set up safety perimeters around houses of worship during protests.

“This provides transparency and accountability to a process that was very opaque before,” Menin said at a Thursday briefing. “It also requires the NYPD to do community engagement, which didn’t exist before.”

Police will be required to engage directly with houses of worship and protesters about security plans, Menin said.

A related bill requiring the NYPD to establish a similar plan at educational facilities passed by a smaller margin of 30 in favor and 19 opposed. Some of that legislation’s opponents cited concerns about infringing on protests on college campuses.

A coalition of activist groups protested against the legislation, framing it as an attack on free speech and oppressive toward Palestinians, while mainstream Jewish groups backed the measure.

Nodding to those concerns, the bill’s text directs the NYPD to formulate its plans “while preserving and protecting the rights to free speech, assembly, and protest.”

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