The NYPD will be out in full force on July 4th — with violent lone actors and foreign terrorist sympathizers posing significant threats for the Big Apple, police and police sources said.
Hundreds of officers will be deployed Friday, with significant road, bridge and train shutdowns planned hours ahead of the annual Macy’s fireworks show, as tensions from overseas spill into New York City.
“We continue to operate in a heightened threat environment due to tensions overseas and across the country, and as has been reported on, the NYPD and our federal partners are closely monitoring the threat from Lone Wolf actors who are motivated by world events,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Wednesday.
The NYPD is acting out of extreme caution, Tisch emphasized, adding that there are no known or credible threats to this year’s celebrations.
Law enforcement, however, has identified a “persistent and serious threat from lone offenders and small extremist groups motivated by a wide range of ideological and personal grievances,” according to an internal threat assessment shared with The Post.
Domestic violent extremists (DVEs) and foreign terrorist organization (FTO) sympathizers, particularly pro-Hamas actors, are the most likely to strike the massive public July 4th event, according to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
Bad actors would likely target Muslim, Christian, Arab and Jewish communities — with authorities pointing to an Israeli consulate located just five miles from the Brooklyn Bridge and a hotspot for fireworks viewing as a vulnerable potential target.
Extremists motivated by white supremacist or anti-government beliefs are also a key concern.
“Lone actors, especially those radicalized online, are the biggest concern because they can evade detection until the moment they strike,” the memo states.
Attacks could come in the form of car bombings, sources said, or vehicle rammings like the New Year’s Day incident in New Orleans carried out by an ISIS terrorist that left 14 people dead.
To prevent a similar tragedy from unfolding in the Big Apple Friday, the NYPD will implement a series of shutdowns:
The FBI and the DHS will be on the lookout to “identify and disrupt any nefarious drone activity,” filling a void for the NYPD, which does not have the authority to intercept the unmanned aircraft.
“This is important. As we’ve seen in Ukraine, the Middle East, and even along our border, the threats posed by weaponized drones are real and growing,” said Tisch.
There will also be hundreds of NYPD officers throughout the five boroughs, while the FDNY and the US Coast Guard will patrol the East River.
“Whether you’ll be watching the fireworks along the river or celebrating on streets across the city, you will see thousands of our uniformed officers out in full force,” promised Tisch.
“Overhead, our Aviation Unit and drone teams will provide a real-time view of ground conditions and any potential issues city-wide. Our Joint Operations Center will be fully activated, bringing together resources, including many of our city, state and federal partners.”