New York City’s leadership is beefing up security around the Big Apple as they brace for unrest after the former Hamas chief called for ‘Day of Jihad’ on Friday.
Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul held a joint press conference on Thursday where they announced an increased police presence around religious institutions, schools and transportation hubs and that the National Guard is on standby.
“There is currently no intelligence that shows any active threats in New York — that’s all of New York State,” Hochul said.
“But in this fraught moment, we will continue to exercise heightened vigilance and take measures to mitigate any potential violence.”
Adams promised to increase police visibility around the city and introduce extra security in vulnerable areas such as Jewish communities.
Police patrol a neighborhood in Brooklyn with a large Orthodox Jewish community on Thursday. New York City leadership has stepped up security ahead of expected protests
Members of the New York Police Department’s counterterrorism unit patrol Times Square on Thursday. A former Hamas leader called for a ‘Day of Jihad’ on Friday
“New York City is the most diverse city in the world, and protecting our residents is the most sacred responsibility we have,” Adams said.
“We have directed the NYPD to push additional resources into schools, houses of worship to ensure they are safe and that our city remains a place of peace.”
A warning from the NYPD said: ‘The NYPD has planned enhanced protective deployments out of an abundance of caution at large gatherings, cultural sites, and houses of worship among other places to ensure public safety and security.’
NYPD is beefing up security at all 77 precincts, including entrances, exits and parking areas, and has activated its joint operations center at police headquarters in lower Manhattan through Sunday.
Former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal called for a so-called ‘Day of Rage’ around the world on Friday.
“(We must) go to the squares and streets of the Arab and Islamic world on Friday,” Meshaa said.
‘Tribes of Jordan, sons of Jordan, brothers and sisters of Jordan… This is a moment of truth and the borders are close to you, you all know your responsibility.
“To all scholars who teach jihad… to all who teach and learn, this is a moment for application (of theories),” he said in a recorded statement.
The city expects widespread protests, similar to those over the weekend, but has said it will not tolerate any violence.
“We are deeply disturbed by the message of hate that encourages violence in our communities in this region and around the world. This is not acceptable,” Adams said.
On Sunday, a Palestinian protester waved a swastika at an anti-Israel rally in Times Square.
The governor said the National Guard has been activated and will patrol key transportation hubs.
Hochul urged citizens not to allow terror to win and continue to send their children to school and go to their places of worship.
“I understand the very human desire to protect your family and your children. With that information going, it’s something that everyone will have to decide individually,’ she said.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said during a joint press conference on Thursday that there is no specific threat against New York
Mayor Eric Adams pledged to increase police visibility around the city and condemned violence
Former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal (pictured) posted a video message on Friday the 13th calling for a day of jihad and telling Muslims to ‘take to the streets’ in protest against Israel
The New York Police Department has already increased their presence and instructed all members to arrive in uniform, according to an internal message.
“All uniformed members of the service must perform duty in the uniform of the day – effective immediately and until further notice, all uniformed members of the service, in every rank, will perform duty in the uniform of the day and be prepared for deployment,” said the message.
Dep. kmr. Rebecca Weiner with the NYPD Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division said officers monitor online posts by radical groups for possible threats.
“We’re trying to make sure that violence doesn’t manifest itself on the streets of New York City,” Weiner said.
“There’s the part you see, which involves a lot of officers, some of our counter-terrorism officers, our Critical Response Command people who are high visibility patrols, heavily armed and trained who respond to locations throughout the city, schools, houses of worship, sensitive locations.’
“And then there’s the intelligence side, which is the part you don’t see – the online monitoring for threats and making sure we can anticipate if there’s any spillover to the city based on the overseas events,” she said. said.
Many Jewish leaders fear that Hamas sympathizers will target Jews in New York on Friday.
“We’re now seeing the capabilities that Hamas has, and it’s not crazy to think that that could happen here when you have hundreds of people here who have literally gathered to celebrate the death of innocent people,” CEO David Greenfield said. of the city-based Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, told DailyMail.com on Thursday.
“There is a palpable fear within the Jewish community,” said Greenfield, who also served on the city council for eight years. ‘Unfortunately, people are planning to limit their activities tomorrow. I have people telling me they can’t go to work tomorrow. They are doing their pre-Shabbat shopping today, which would normally take place on Friday.’
NYPD has called on all officers to arrive in uniform and is increasing their presence in vulnerable areas
There is an increased police presence outside Barclays Center ahead of a preseason game for the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday
A person walks as police patrol a neighborhood in Brooklyn on Thursday. The police are investigating incidents that happened on Wednesday that may be motivated by the war
Police have since investigated a series of possible bias crimes motivated by the war between Israel and Hamas.
WABC reported on several incidents Wednesday, including two Jewish Brooklyn residents who allegedly grabbed a Palestinian flag from two men and used it to hit one of them over the head; two teenagers reportedly fired pellet guns outside a synagogue in Brooklyn; A Middle Eastern 18-year-old allegedly kicked and punched by a man waving an Israeli flag; and an Israeli at Columbia University was allegedly hit by a 19-year-old who tore down fliers he had posted.
Simcha Eichenstein, an Orthodox Jew who represents Brooklyn’s Borough Park and Midwood, shared his own anxiety about a rise in anti-Semitism while riding the subway Thursday afternoon.
“I’m not going to lie to you, it’s definitely a whole different subway ride right now,” Eichenstein told DailyMail.com. ‘I look to my right. I look to my left. There is no doubt, there is more tension in the air.
“The idea that people are coming out on Friday in response to a call from the head of a terrorist network is obviously a concern,” he said. “And when people see not only what happened in Israel, but, after that terrorist attack, to see people in New York City, elected officials and organizations encouraging it, yes, people are very concerned.”
In the Middle East, the Israeli death toll reached more than 1,300 and Gaza authorities said more than 1,500 Palestinians were killed.