The New York Police Department ordered its entire force on duty ahead of a call from a former leader of Hamas for rallies worldwide in support of the terrorist group.
“All uniformed members of the service in every rank, will perform duty in the uniform of the day and be prepared for deployment,” a Wednesday memo to every NYPD member read, the New York Post reported.
The notice is in place “until further notice” and comes as the force beefs up its presence in all 77 police precincts across the city.
The move comes after the former head of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, called for global protests on Friday in support of Palestinians.
“[We must] head to the squares and streets of the Arab and Islamic world on Friday,” Meshaal said in a recorded statement. “To all scholars who teach jihad … to all who teach and learn, this is a moment for the application [of jihad].”
The city’s preparations for protests on Friday include warning Jewish people to consider staying home, ABC7 reported:
New York State officials are starting to suggest synagogues consider closing Friday out of an abundance of caution and making Erev Shabbat services virtual.
Gov. Hochul called it a “personal choice” to pull children from religious schools or to skip synagogue Friday night in response to the call of pro-Palestinian protests.
“I understand the very human desire to protect your family and your kids,” Hochul said. “With that information going on, it’s something everybody will individually have to decide.”
The NYPD’s directive comes after an Israeli student at Columbia University was assaulted with a stick on Wednesday while hanging up posters of hostages taken by Hamas after the terrorist group’s attack on Israel.
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