According to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Americans and visitors who want to witness the Times Square ball drop live on New Year’s Eve in 2024 will face increased security both before and after the ball drops. The New York National Guard and other agencies will assist in policing certain locations, and the New York State Police will increase manpower and state troopers.
The action was taken after police departments nationwide received warnings from the government Bureau of Investigation and other government agencies about possible threats to sizable gatherings commemorating the occasion, particularly from lone actors spurred on by the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In response to the FBI notice, public safety organizations are stepping up security nationwide in advance of New Year’s Eve festivities. For instance, authorities in Las Vegas, where hundreds of thousands of people are anticipated to congregate to celebrate the holiday, said they are stepping up security by deploying low-level helicopter flights, biohazard teams, and a bomb squad.
Mayor Eric Adams of New York City stated that although there haven’t been any serious threats, the city is proceeding “out of an abundance of caution.”
“Safeguarding events—of any size—is something we do better than any other city in the nation,” he wrote on X. “But, out of an abundance of caution, you’ll see a large security presence on the ground and in the air during the festivities to ensure New Yorkers can celebrate safely.”
What security risks are of concern to federal authorities?
In a notice sent earlier this month, the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and National Counterterrorism Center forewarned law enforcement agencies and the American public of possible safety risks during New Year’s Eve celebrations. The warning was justified by the “ongoing tension between Israel and Hamas” and the rise in hate crimes nationwide.
Particularly concerning the authorities is violence in such gatherings.
Throughout the winter, lone actors may try to start or intensify violent incidents at gatherings of a lot of people, prominent events, or places that are symbolic or religious. In its advice, the FBI stated that such events “may become a convenient target for those inspired to commit violence against Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Arab communities.”
“Although this announcement is not in response to any specific plotting activity, these targets likely remain attractive to lone actors inspired by a range of ideologies due to their accessibility and symbolic nature,” the FBI stated.
As of October 7, when the conflict between Israel and Hamas began, “we’re in a heightened threat environment,” FBI official Robert Kissane told CNN.
People are urged by the agency to notify public safety of any suspicions or potentials.
“We take all potential threats seriously and will work closely with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate investigative action,” the warning stated.
On New Year’s Eve, security is stepped up in American and international cities.
According to a threat assessment that ABC News was able to receive, New Year’s Eve in San Francisco “remains an attractive target for domestic violent extremists, homegrown violent extremists, and foreign terrorist organizations,” in addition to lone offenders.
The FBI’s San Francisco branch refused to give a copy of the document, telling USA TODAY that it had been “leaked.” In an official statement, the agency stated that these kinds of evaluations are routinely carried out in order to coordinate and deal with possible risks.
“We encourage the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious behavior to law enforcement immediately,” warned the agency.
According to ABC, the paper raises the possibility that well-publicized occasions like New Year’s Eve celebrations, which draw large crowds and media attention, may be dangerous, but no particular threats have been mentioned.
A spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department, Robert Rueca, told USA TODAY that in addition to staffing district stations, there would be a “large presence” of police where festivities are anticipated. According to Rueca, there are no particular or credible threats to the city that the department is aware of.
Nearly 400,000 people are expected to celebrate New Year’s Eve on the Strip, according to Las Vegas police. Undersheriff Andrew Walsh of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said that despite the lack of serious threats, officials aren’t taking any chances.
Law enforcement will be “in abundance” for the city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, including First Night Boston, according to Boston municipal authorities. More than 200,000 people are anticipated to attend the celebration because of the fireworks, carnival rides, improv performances, and other events.
worries about security for New Year’s Eve festivities outside of the US.
According to Céline Berthon, head of domestic intelligence for France, 90,000 law enforcement personnel will be on duty on New Year’s Eve. Of these, 6,000 will be stationed in Paris, where festivities on the Champs-Elysees are expected to draw over 1.5 million people.
At a news conference, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that there is a “very high terrorist threat” due in part to “what is happening in Israel and Palestine,” which is to say the Israel-Hamas conflict. In addition to deploying 5,000 soldiers and tens of thousands of firefighters, police will be allowed to utilize drones for the first time in security operations, he added.
