“We Are Going To Be Ready”: NYPD Out In Full Force For Expected NYE Gaza War Protests; Networks Put Safety Measures In Place
deadline.comThey were testing the New Year’s Eve ball today in Times Square ahead of Sunday’s celebrations, but the real spectacle was happening on the streets.
In a self-declared “heightened threat environment” since Hamas’ murderous assault on Israeli communities near the border with Gaza and the butchering of thousands on October 7, and the punishing military response by the Jewish state, the NYPD is pulling out all the security stops openly and behind the scenes in anticipation of protests and potential violence.
With big NYE specials in the final stages, networks are gearing up for an anticipated unruly night. Amidst bubbling online chatter and activist promises of a big turnout of pro- Palestinian and anti-Israeli protestors on December 31, New York Mayor Eric Adams insisted on Friday in a Times Square press conference with Chief Jeff Maddrey and other top cops that “there are no specific threats to the city.” Yet, as hundreds of large and small protests for a ceasefire and against Israel have occurred in NYC alone since early October, the former NYPD officer also noted “as we saw last year, after having no specific threats we get a threat, and we are going to be ready.” On the last day of 2022, three NYPD officers were attacked by a 19-year-old man from Maine with a machete over US support for Israel.
A self-described “Shut It Down! For Palestine” protest and march is being put together by various groups for the afternoon of December 31.
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