The NYPD reiterated that there are no credible threats to the city Friday, but vowed to ramp up security at “sensitive locations” – amid calls from Hamas’ ex-chief for a global “day of Jihad,” which has left some members of the local Jewish community on edge.
The bolstered safety measures followed a rallying cry from Khaled Meshaal – the leader of Hamas from 2004 to 2017 – for the Islamic world to stage protests supporting Palestine Friday following the terror group’s bloody sneak attack launched against Israel over the weekend.
“The NYPD’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau deploys a wide array of resources to protect the city based on events unfolding here and around the world,” the NYPD said in a Friday morning statement.
“This includes high-visibility resources like the Critical Response Command and Counterterrorism officers, as well as our Intelligence Division personnel,” the department said. “Given the situation unfolding in Israel, we have surged resources to sensitive locations out of an abundance of caution and to ensure that all New Yorkers stay safe.”
Meshaal did not specifically call for violence – and Rebecca Weiner, Deputy Commissioner of the Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau, told Jewish community leaders during a virtual meeting Thursday night that the bolstered presence was simply out of an “abundance of caution.’”
“This is to deter anyone who would seek to do us harm in this city,” she said. “We still are not seeing any threat reporting suggesting violence in New York City.”
“We are obviously aware that that can change at any moment.”
Police advised religious centers to make sure their strongest security measures are in place Friday – including checks to ensure that doors are locked, alarms are working and security cameras are functional.
The NYPD has also called on its officers to report for duty in uniform ahead of the expected protests, according to a memo circulated to all members of the NYPD Wednesday night.
The memo noted that no one would be granted excusals or shift changes and the order would remain in effect “until further notices.”
Mayor Eric Adams, who also attended the meeting with Jewish community leaders, urged New Yorkers to remain vigilant.
“I want every New Yorker, especially Jewish New Yorkers and other groups to know there are currently no credible or specific threats against our city, but with large-scale protests planned for tomorrow, we must remain vigilant,” Hizzoner said.
Jewish groups struck a similar tone in their latest statements.
“We are aware of our community’s safety and security concerns. In a time of heightened tension, our UJA/@JCRCNY Community Security Initiative will continue to work closely with law enforcement to help keep our community safe,” the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York posted on X Thursday.
Michael Masters, CEO of the Secure Community Network, a Jewish security nonprofit, told Jewish leaders in a Thursday call that although “there’s a great deal of anxiety” about Friday, his organization has not found further reasons for concern.
“As of this time we are not aware of any direct credible threats against the Jewish community in the U.S.,” he said on the call, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA).
Still, he encouraged Jewish organizations “to remain open and active, always vigilant.”
The Anti-Defamation League, an antisemitism watchdog, took the same stance.
“ADL has reviewed this information [and] is in close coordination with our partners in law enforcement and Jewish security organizations,” it said in a statement issued to the JTA. “At this time, [the ADL’s] Center on Extremism is not aware of any credible threats to Jewish communities in the United States.”
Levi Leifer, the director of the volunteer Jewish neighborhood safety group, Shmira Public Safety, told The Post Thursday that their organization has received a whopping 110% increase in phone calls since the Hamas attack on Israel.
Meanwhile, the city’s Department of Education sent a message to principals and superintendents Thursday, advising them to “maintain a heightened sense of situational awareness,” and noted that the NYPD keeps a close watch on social media for any threats of violence.
Some parents of children attending Jewish schools told The Post Thursday that the schools had either beefed up security or opted to cancel classes Friday.