Backlash Grows in Orthodox Jewish Areas Over Virus Crackdown by Cuomo

But the anger was not limited to the Orthodox Jewish community. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which has 1.5 million followers and 210 churches in Brooklyn and Queens, said it was taken by surprise by the governor’s announcement. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn condemned the new rules as “outrageous” in a statement on Tuesday night.

“We fervently object to being told to further reduce capacity, because we have strictly adhered to Covid-19 protocols, and the safety measures have been working,” he said. “The safety of parishioners is paramount for the Diocese of Brooklyn, but the religious freedom of our parishioners is being unjustly attacked.”

“It is outrageous that after incurring great expense to implement all the safety protocols, our parishes are being forced to reduce capacity to a maximum of 10 people in the red zone and 25 people in the orange zone,” he added. “A capacity range of 10 to 25 people is disrespectful to Catholics and to the clergy who all have followed the rules.”

In a letter posted online on Tuesday, four Orthodox Jewish lawmakers — State Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein and State Senator Simcha Felder, and City Council members Kalman Yeger and Chaim Deutsch — accused Mr. Cuomo of lying to community leaders about the scope of his lockdown plan during a conference call earlier on Tuesday. They denounced it as “a duplicitous bait-and-switch.”

The lawmakers also criticized the governor for “irresponsible and pejorative” rhetoric, including the use of a photograph from more than 10 years ago during a news conference earlier this week that showed a Hasidic crowd gathering for a funeral.

Mr. Yeger addressed the protesters early Wednesday, according to video posted online by Boro Park News, an Orthodox Jewish news organization.

“We are not going to be deprived of the right that we have in America, like everybody else in America, to observe our religion,” Mr. Yeger said. “I don’t care who in government thinks that they can stop us. They are wrong. Let them try.”