Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul outlined steps that the city and state are taking to increase security and law enforcement support across New York City and New York state with the expectation of additional protests of the Israel-Hamas war on Friday.
According to Adams, the NYPD will surge additional resources to schools and houses of worship “to ensure that they are safe,” and will bring more NYPD patrols to specific neighborhoods.
The NYPD also posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, that the department has “increased our uniform deployments at large gatherings and cultural sites.”
Please read NYPD's statement on security: pic.twitter.com/medPI9hUuI
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) October 12, 2023
Hochul said state police will support the NYPD, and resources from the National Guard and Joint Task Force Empire Shield will be available if needed. She added that the state “fully activated our division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Counterterrorism.”
“I want all New Yorkers to feel confident going into a synagogue or going to school, walking through the streets of our state over the next few days,” she said.
The NYPD’s post said the increases were in response to “the concern that postings circulating online have caused,” and Hochul also referenced “reports that Hamas has called for a day of action tomorrow.” Former Hamas leader Khaled Mashal called for protests across the Muslim world in support of the Palestinian people in a video message.
The mayor and governor stressed that there were no specific threats targeting the city or state.
“I want every New Yorker, especially our Jewish New Yorkers and other groups, to know there are no credible or specific threats against our city. But with large-scale protests planned for tomorrow, let’s remain vigilant,” Adams said.
Hochul also denounced local violence against New Yorkers in both communities, denouncing “a reported incident where an Israeli student was assaulted on their very own college campus” and a “reported attack in Brooklyn of a Palestinian New Yorker.”
“Public safety will always be my top priority,” Hochul said. “My commitment is to keep in New Yorkers safe. That is unwavering.”