New York City officials say residents can expect a heightened police presence around shuls, menorah lightings, and Jewish institutions throughout Chanukah, as city leaders respond to a cascade of violent incidents that unfolded over the past day in the United States and abroad.
Mayor Eric Adams said the decision follows what he described as a grim 24-hour period marked by multiple shootings, including a deadly antisemitic terror attack overseas targeting Jews celebrating Chanukah, as well as separate shootings in Rhode Island and Brooklyn.
“The last 24 hours, we’ve witnessed a tragedy that has swept our entire globe,” Adams told reporters. “We went to sleep with the horrific report of a mass shooting at Brown University. We woke up in the middle of the night to the news of a local one: Six individuals, teenagers, young people were shot in Brooklyn.
“We woke up this morning to hear about a devastating terrorist attack in [Australia].”
According to Adams, the overseas attack was a deliberate act of antisemitic violence. He said the assault, which left more than a dozen people dead and dozens injured, underscored the need for vigilance as Jews publicly mark Chanukah.
“That attack in Sydney is exactly what it means to globalize intifada,” Adams said. “We saw the actual application of the globalization of intifada in Sydney because the attacker knew who he was targeting and he knew why.
“It is the first night of Hanukkah, the festival of lights where Jews are obligated to publicize the celebration of their faith. And among the murdered victims of the attack [was] a rabbi who had ties to Crown Heights, as well as a Holocaust survivor. Let me say that again. A rabbi and a Holocaust survivor killed for being Jewish.
“Antisemitism has no place in our city, in our society, and in our world.
“And I will continue to fight for this community and all communities of this city and for fellow brothers and sisters from the Jewish community. For the past four years, this administration has stood by the Jewish community, not just as the mayor, but as an ally, as a father, and as a human being.”
Adams also addressed what he called the dangers of minimizing extremist violence or blurring its ideological roots.
“But this attack did not come out of nowhere. It came out as the consequences of Islamic extremists,” Adams said. “And we have to be clear on that. It’s not an attack on our Muslim brothers and sisters, who carry out their faith every day, but is the hijacking of their religion by Islamic extremists.
“Words have meaning. Words have impact, and words have power. Everyone needs to understand what words mean before they repeat them, before they shout them, before they defend them.”
Without naming him directly at first, Adams appeared to criticize Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani for refusing to condemn calls to “globalize the intifada,” linking that rhetoric to real-world violence.
Turning to policing policy, Adams warned against proposals to scale back specialized law enforcement units tasked with responding to terror threats.
“I do know this: Specialized units play a primary role and function to go and respond to terrorist attacks of this nature,” Adams said. “It is ill-advised to talk about the dismantling of the SRG team, the same team that went into 345 Park Avenue, when we had now a lone gunman that took the lives of innocent New Yorkers.
“It took the courage of a civilian to take down one of the shooters. The country was lucky that the civilian was there. Public safety can’t be luck. Specialized units like SRG are trained for these encounters. And this illustrates the necessity of the strategic response groups who are ready to respond to terror attacks on a mass scale.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch provided additional details on the local incidents that contributed to the city’s security escalation. She said the Brooklyn shooting occurred early Sunday morning outside an event venue in Cypress Hills, where two unidentified suspects opened fire on a crowd, striking six teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17. Authorities believe the incident is gang-related, and none of the victims’ injuries are considered life-threatening.
Tisch also confirmed that two people were killed and nine injured in the shooting at Brown University, noting there is no known connection to New York City. Nonetheless, she said patrols have been increased at colleges and universities across the five boroughs as a precaution.
“Our hearts are with the victims, their families, Chabad, and Jewish communities here and around the world,” Tisch said. “Since the attack occurred, the NYPD has been in continuous contact with our law enforcement partners in Australia and we are receiving updates directly from our NYPD liaison officer stationed in Sydney.
“We are closely monitoring developments as more verified information becomes available. This too remains an active investigation.”
Although officials emphasized that there are no specific or credible threats tied to Chanukah events in New York City, the NYPD has dramatically expanded its security posture. Enhanced uniform patrols, counterterrorism officers, heavy weapons teams, bomb squads, and community affairs officers are being deployed citywide, particularly around Jewish sites and holiday gatherings.
Tisch credited the department’s international liaison program with delivering real-time intelligence from Australia, allowing the NYPD to adjust its security plans overnight.
Both Adams and Tisch stressed that the city remains committed to protecting Jewish New Yorkers and ensuring they can celebrate Chanukah openly and safely, urging residents to stay alert and report any suspicious activity as the Yom Tov continues.
{Matzav.com}
