NYPD cracking down on July 4th fireworks show as overseas tensions bleed into NYC
Hundreds of officers will be deployed Friday, with significant road, bridge and train shutdowns planned hours ahead of the annual Macy's fireworks show, as tensions from overseas spill into New York City.
'We continue to operate in a heightened threat environment due to tensions overseas and across the country, and as has been reported on, the NYPD and our federal partners are closely monitoring the threat from Lone Wolf actors who are motivated by world events,' NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Wednesday.
4 Hundreds of NYPD officers will be deployed Friday ahead of the annual fireworks display.
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The NYPD is acting out of extreme caution, Tisch emphasized, adding that there are no known or credible threats to this year's celebrations.
Law enforcement, however, has identified a 'persistent and serious threat from lone offenders and small extremist groups motivated by a wide range of ideological and personal grievances,' according to an internal threat assessment shared with The Post.
Domestic violent extremists (DVEs) and foreign terrorist organization (FTO) sympathizers, particularly pro-Hamas actors, are the most likely to strike the massive public July 4th event, according to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
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Bad actors would likely target Muslim, Christian, Arab and Jewish communities — with authorities pointing to an Israeli consulate located just five miles from the Brooklyn Bridge and a hotspot for fireworks viewing as a vulnerable potential target.
4 NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the Big Apple is operating 'in a heightened threat environment due to tensions overseas and across the country.'
William Farrington
Extremists motivated by white supremacist or anti-government beliefs are also a key concern.
'Lone actors, especially those radicalized online, are the biggest concern because they can evade detection until the moment they strike,' the memo states.
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Attacks could come in the form of car bombings, sources said, or vehicle rammings like the New Year's Day incident in New Orleans carried out by an ISIS terrorist that left 14 people dead.
4 The Brooklyn waterfront will be closed except to lucky ticket holders and residents who can show proof of address.
James Keivom
To prevent a similar tragedy from unfolding in the Big Apple Friday, the NYPD will implement a series of shutdowns:
The Brooklyn Bridge will close in both directions to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic starting at 9 a.m., and it will remain closed until the next day at 4 a.m.
The FDR will be shut down from East Houston to West Street in both directions, beginning at 3 p.m. Guests who want to watch the fireworks show from the elevated portion of the FDR Drive will not be allowed to enter until 6 p.m., and only at select entry points — Montgomery Street and Madison Street, the Brooklyn Bridge on and off ramps at Robert Wagner Place and Broad Street and Water Street — where they will be met with security wands and their bags will be checked.
In Brooklyn, the waterfront will be shut down starting at 2 p.m. and only those with the coveted city-issued tickets will be allowed entry for the evening's festivities. DUMBO residents will need to show proof that they live in the trendy neighborhood in order to get past security and retrieve guest from NYPD checkpoints, a move City Councilmember Lincoln Restler called a 'dramatically different approach' that inconveniences residents and businesses alike.
Subway and bus routes will be operating on a Saturday schedule, with Crosstown bus lines south of 42nd Street, not traveling east of First Avenue, while High Street's subway station will be closed.
At all locations, guests are prohibited from bringing large backpacks, coolers, alcohol, umbrellas, lawn chairs or blankets, drones and any item that could obstruct others' view or pose a safety risk.
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4 The FBI and Department of Homeland Security will be on hand to shoot down 'nefarious drones.'
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The FBI and the DHS will be on the lookout to 'identify and disrupt any nefarious drone activity,' filling a void for the NYPD, which does not have the authority to intercept the unmanned aircraft.
'This is important. As we've seen in Ukraine, the Middle East, and even along our border, the threats posed by weaponized drones are real and growing,' said Tisch.
There will also be hundreds of NYPD officers throughout the five boroughs, while the FDNY and the US Coast Guard will patrol the East River.
'Whether you'll be watching the fireworks along the river or celebrating on streets across the city, you will see thousands of our uniformed officers out in full force,' promised Tisch.
'Overhead, our Aviation Unit and drone teams will provide a real-time view of ground conditions and any potential issues city-wide. Our Joint Operations Center will be fully activated, bringing together resources, including many of our city, state and federal partners.'
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