New York City Police are being placed on high alert to protect synagogues and Jewish institutions following the Iranian attack on Israel on Saturday.
“As mayor of the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel, the significance of Iran’s attack for Jewish New Yorkers—many of whom have family in Israel—is not lost on me, especially with Passover just days away,” wrote NYC Mayor Eric Adams on X.
“While there is no direct or imminent threat to New York City at this time, we have directed the NYPD to deploy additional resources to Jewish communities and houses of worship citywide out of abundance of caution,” he said. “Our administration has also begun outreach to both Jewish leaders and elected officials across the five boroughs to keep them apprised of the situation.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a similar order to the New York State Police, National Guard, and Department of Homeland Security, who “are on high alert to protect houses of worship and high-profile locations” as a “precautionary measure,” according to the NYS Governor’s Office.
Since Oct. 7, New York City has experienced a significant surge in antisemitic incidents, which coincided with heightened tensions following the Hamas attack on Israel. In October alone, the NYPD reported a 214% increase from the same time last year. Thousands of anti-Israel protesters took to the streets on Friday, with some reportedly yelling “Genocide Joe,” in reference to White House support for Israel.
