Video, Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Addresses Public Safety Concerns Following Recent Escalation of Tensions in the Middle East

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul addressed public safety concerns following the recent escalation of tensions in The Middle East.

VIDEO of the event is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.

AUDIO of the Governor's remarks is available here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Before I take your questions today, I'd like to address an urgent public safety concern. As we all know, the Iranian regime launched a missile attack on Israeli civilians just yesterday evening. At the same time, a mass shooting occurred on the streets of Tel Aviv. The Israeli authorities classified this as a terror attack.

And while I know those events are happening on the other side of the globe, here in New York, we are the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, and one of the largest Muslim and Arab populations in America. And so, these global events have a unique residence here with us. As Governor, my number one priority is public safety, and we have spent months preparing for this time of the year. We knew tensions would be high, particularly as we deal with the High Holy holidays, as well as the advent of the one year anniversary of October 7.

So earlier this year, knowing these dates were coming, I directed my administration to start preparing to enhance our security; heightening our surveillance, making sure we have a visible presence, and yesterday afternoon, I asked for and received a confidential intelligence briefing with the Mayor of New York City with his head of counterintelligence as well, making sure that our teams are closely aligned and working together.

We heard from representatives from NYPD and our State Division of Homeland Security and other law enforcement leaders. The most important takeaway from yesterday's conversation and further briefings today is that there are no known threats to New Yorkers at this time. Again, there's no known threats. I also conveyed this at a gathering of Jewish leaders to let them know that there are no known threats, but to make sure that the relationships are strong so they know we are there to be of assistance preemptively, and be there if anything should occur.

We have to be prepared for every single scenario. And for that reason, I have directed our State Police Superintendent James to increase State Police patrols at at-risk areas: synagogues, yeshivas, community centers, mosques. You'll also see increased law enforcement presence at all critical infrastructure hubs, including major transit centers.

And now, we're working closely to make sure that all populations are protected. We're protecting not just - working with NYPD in New York City - but also we have to be aware of threats that could occur in Westchester, Long Island, and other populations outside of New York City. We're also protecting the Muslim communities as well as the Jewish communities against hate crimes that could ensue.

Just as we've seen a major spike in antisemitism this year, we've seen increased attacks on our Muslim neighbors as well. So, this includes enhanced monitoring of our social media and online sites, and recognizing that individuals can be radicalized by the toxic stew that is a slew of hate online, and we've seen the ill effects of that as well. Certainly, the individual that was radicalized online - a white supremacist. An 18-year-old white supremacist, who slaughtered 10 of my neighbors in Buffalo, would fit that category. And he was radicalized by the same online hate that led to the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh.

So, with all this as a backdrop, we have increased our monitoring tools for social media, increased our State presence on the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, and right now we're ensuring that we have all hands on deck to fight the rise in these crimes.

The other aspect is parents worried about their students on college campuses, especially throughout the year in light of last spring, but also during the High Holy holidays. I want to be clear: every student in New York should be able to worship safely on their college campus. And before the semester even began, my teams have worked closely with campus leadership to ensure that they have safety and security plans that we have reviewed and signed off on. Yes, students have a first amendment right to protest, they also have a right to gather and celebrate the holidays without fear of harassment.

So, as we also approach - not just the holidays and the holy days - as we approach October 7, I want to continue reminding New Yorkers we're going to be vigilant, monitoring the situation. There will be many vigils, likely counter protests, and nothing is more important to me than keeping everyone safe, so we're taking major steps at this time again, courting any other law enforcement individuals and community organizations to ensure their safety during this difficult time.

Contact the Governor's Press Office