Earlier today, Mayor Eric Adams joined NYPD top brass and leaders of Jewish community organizations in the Joint Operations Center at 1 Police Plaza, for an event his press scheduled described as “a security briefing in anticipation of high holidays and one-year anniversary of October 7th terrorist attacks in Israel.” The JOC is a large bullpen-like space, where NYPD officers coordinate deployment of forces and emergency services on the ground, as well as monitor the police force’s extensive video surveillance network of 80,000 cameras across the city.
Mayor Adams opened the briefing, recognizing the upcoming anniversary of the Hamas attack against Israel, a “one year anniversary of a tragedy that is still causing such pain to so many here in our city.” His rhetoric, as well as that of those that followed, appeared to be a direct response to the conflict broadening at the moment in the Middle East, as Israel’s bombing and invasion of Lebanon has been followed by missile attacks from Iran. The note he was clearly aiming for was one of reassurance: “no matter what it is going on on the globe, here in New York City you’ll be safe.”
Anticipating protests on October 7th, the mayor went on to issue a stern warning that he and the NYPD “acknowledge […] and respect and protect people’s right to peacefully protest,” however “there will be a zero tolerance for those who violate the law, impede traffic, and damage property while doing so.” The former police captain then described some of the extra security that will be employed over the upcoming Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, including “more visible presence of uniformed personnel” and “additional cameras [deployed] to sensitive locations.”
Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner took to the podium shortly after Adams and picked up where he left off, stating that “October 7th and its aftermath have had a profound effect on the terrorism ecosystem” when it comes to “galvanizing […] supporters around the world.” If you’re wondering which groups are benefiting, the list is long: “Hamas, ISIS, Hezbollah, IRGC, far right, far left, you name it.” She then added that “the already heightened threat environment has been ratcheted up even further” due to the recent spate of attacks in the Middle East. The former civilian analyst for the NYPD then echoed Adams’ sentiment portraying New York City as a shelter in a chaotic environment: “in a time of violence and turmoil around the world, we are here to assure you that New York city remains a very safe place for all.”
The Deputy Commissioner also described the kinds of reinforcements that will be deployed, including “heavy weapons teams in all five boroughs.”Asked if there were any specific threats being monitored at the moment for the current situation, Weiner stated that there were “not any specific or credible threats right now.”
Weiner met controversy last spring when she deployed riot police against Columbia University students protesting the invasion of Gaza, who had occupied a building on campus. Ms. Weiner is also an adjunct associate professor at Columbia’s School for International Public Affairs.
