NEW YORK (NewsNation) — The New York City Police Department is planning to enhance its visibility starting Friday following a former leader of Hamas calling for a “global day of Jihad,” which some have interpreted as a potential call for violence.
The move comes despite New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the police commissioner stating that there are no known specific or credible threats against the city.
“We have directed the NYPD to surge additional resources to schools, houses of worship to ensure that they’re safe,” Adams said.
NYPD has canceled vacations and ordered all officers to show up for work in uniform. Additionally, the department’s counterterrorism officers and Critical Response Command personnel are heavily armed and prepared for action. The NYPD is also actively monitoring citywide surveillance cameras from its Joint Operations Center.
This shift of urgency is in response to Khaled Meshaal, the former Hamas leader, who has urged for a global day of “general mobilization,” saying, “Deliver a message through the squares and the streets, a message of anger, that we are with Palestine.”
He also said, “This is the moment that the [Islamic] nation must join the battle. We should fight with them.”
Pro-Israeli and Pro-Palestinian groups have been staging demonstrations and protesting throughout the week. At one point, the two sides confronted each other in Times Square, resulting in heated exchanges and accusations, but no acts of violence occurred.
“We want everyone to remain calm. We have this under control,” said NYPD Deputy Police Commissioner Rebecca Weiner.
Police departments in major cities nationwide are increasing their patrols, taking cues from the NYPD.
Meanwhile, hate crimes against both Jews and Palestinians in the U.S. are raising concerns.
The NYPD is currently investigating three reported attacks in NYC’s Brooklyn and Queens boroughs that appear to be motivated by hate.
“Here in New York nor our state will tolerate any form of bigotry whether it antisemitism, islamophobia or any other kind of hate or discrimination,” said NYC Deputy Mayor Fabien Levy.
Columbia University restricted public access to its campus Thursday after an Israeli student was assaulted with a stick.
The FBI is urging Americans to be hyper-vigilant regardless of their location as law enforcement agencies nationwide are increasing their patrols.
