Section 8-302. Removal of disability or disqualification

Notwithstanding
  any provision of this code to the contrary, no person  shall  be  denied
  any  license,  right,  benefit  or  privilege  extended by this code, or
  suffer any other disability or disqualification thereunder, or be denied
  the right of employment by the city of New York, solely because  of  any
  arrest,   apprehension,   detention,  indictment  or  other  accusation,
  arraignment, trial, conviction or any  other  aspect  of  conviction  or
  adjudication  of a crime had under the jurisdiction of the courts of any
  state or of the United States, which  is  founded  on  an  act  or  acts
  arising  out  of  any peaceful demonstration or other peaceful activity,
  the object of which is to resist discriminatory treatment in  any  place
  of  public accommodation as defined by section forty of the civil rights
  law, or to achieve equal rights for  all  persons  regardless  of  race,
  creed, color or national origin.