New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced a heightened security plan as the city prepares for September’s Jewish High Holy Days and events marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Speaking at a Wednesday news conference, Mamdani urged New Yorkers to avoid traveling through lower Manhattan on Friday. Streets near Ground Zero are expected to be shut down as officials and dignitaries, including Vice President JD Vance, attend ceremonies commemorating the 9/11 anniversary.
The mayor also addressed Jewish residents directly, acknowledging the rise in antisemitic hate crimes that has affected communities across the city in recent years.
“I want to speak directly to our Jewish New Yorkers now,” Mamdani said. “Your safety during these sacred days is of the utmost importance to our administration, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that you can observe the holiday securely. There will be an increased NYPD presence outside of synagogues across the five boroughs, as well as other Jewish religious and cultural locations.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announce a new memorial honoring victims of 9/11 inside 1 Police Plaza, New York, N.Y., Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Cristina Matuozzi/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect)
Mamdani emphasized that authorities have not identified any specific or credible threats against New Yorkers. Still, he said the city is taking a cautious approach as major religious observances and high-profile memorial events draw near.
Tisch reinforced that assessment, saying there is no known targeted threat at this time. She cautioned, however, that hate crimes overall — particularly antisemitic incidents — continue to climb.
“Even as shootings and murders have fallen to historic lows, hate crimes are moving in the wrong direction through the first eight months of this year. Confirmed hate crimes citywide are up 16%, and antisemitic hate crimes are up 9%. And once again, more than half of all confirmed hate crimes in New York City have targeted Jewish New Yorkers, even though Jews make up only about 10% of this city’s population. Those numbers are deeply disturbing,” Tisch said.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announce a new memorial honoring victims of 9/11 inside 1 Police Plaza, New York, N.Y., Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Cristina Matuozzi/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect)
She pointed to specific incidents, including the July stabbing of Moshe Grunhaus, a 50-year-old Jewish man wearing a kippah who was attacked with a screwdriver outside The Jewish Center in Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
She also revealed that intelligence officers have disrupted multiple plotted attacks on Jews in New York in recent years.
Members of the NYPD’s Counterterrorism Unit stand guard outside the Jewish Museum in New York City, May 22, 2025. (Kevin C. Downs for News Outlet)
“Since October 7th, our intelligence community has also tracked threats and disrupted plots directed at Jewish institutions here in New York, including alleged plans for attacks against a Manhattan synagogue and a Jewish center in Brooklyn,” Tisch said.
Tisch assured New York’s Jews that they can rely on the NYPD to protect them.
“I want all Jewish New Yorkers to know this. You have a partner in the NYPD now and throughout the year. As of today, there are no specific, credible threats directed at High Holy Day celebrations in New York City. But we remain vigilant,” she said.
News Outlet contacted the mayor’s office and the NYPD for additional comment.
