New York Governor Kathy Hochul will add ten more state investigators to the FBI’s counterterrorism task force in New York to combat the staggering 214 percent spike in anti-Semitism since the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.
Hochul announced on Monday that an additional $2.5 million will be administered to the New York State Police to increase staff to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).
Eight investigators will be placed in New York City JTTF office and one investigator to their Albany and Rochester offices. The governor’s office said there were about 30 state law enforcement officials working with the task force before the additional investigators were added, The New York Daily News reported.
The move is the governor’s latest effort to tackle the rise in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents. Hochul said that an emergency meeting was held with Jewish leaders and law enforcement to discuss strategies.
‘It’s painful to me as the governor of this great state that has been known for its diversity and how we celebrate different cultures, different religions, different viewpoints.
‘It is painful to see the cruelty with which New Yorkers are treating each other everywhere from college campuses to our streets to schools to playgrounds even as they’re entering their houses of worship,’ she said.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Monday the deployment of ten additional investigators to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Take Force to combat the staggering increase in anti-Semitism
A black swastika was painted on the door and picnic tables at the Naturally Good Food & Café in Montauk earlier this month
The anti-Semitic symbol was spray painted on the picnic table at the café in Montauk nd the words ‘Jews Die’ was spray painted in German at a nearby fence
The governor spoke about the recent incidents that have taken place including the mob of hundreds that stormed Grand Central Terminal on Friday calling for a cease-fire in Gaza that saw more than 300 arrests.
As the busiest travel day of the year, Thanksgiving, approaches, governor said law enforcement will be present to ensure commuters can go about their ‘lives freely and without disruption.’
‘The day that Hamas attacked Israel October 7 and the rise in hate crime began instantanously. I immediately deployed the state police to be on high alert to protect vulnerable assets,’ the governor said.
These vulnerable assets also include the city’s synagogues and yeshivas and mosques, and any other place that could be susceptible to hate crimes or violence.
The governer’s office said they have also been in contact with the US Department of Homeland Security to share information regarding potential threats.
During her address, she announced a significant increase in funding for their efforts that includes a total of $75 million – $50 million will go towards local law enforcement and $25 million in security grants.
She expressed her gratitude to state and local law enforcement officials protecting civilians during this unprecedented time.
‘State police have been out there have been embedded with local law enforcement. I have seen it with my own eyes.’
She continued: ‘I visit different places of worship and whether it’s here in New York City, it’s happening and I am grateful for their efforts.’
The governor also spoke about efforts being made on gathering data that is being taken from surveillance and social media to help counter act some of the negativity and hate speech circulating on online platforms.
Naturally Good Food and Café in Montauk was vandalized with swastikas, the symbol of hatred against Jews, earlier this month. Owner Jane Freeman posted about the hate crime
As the govenor spoke about her initiatives and sharing her support, many are witnessing first-hand the anti-Semitism and hate that has hit some businesses, schools and communities on Long Island and New York City.
In August Nassau County police said swastikas were spray painted at the playground at Chatterton Elementary School in Merrick. Two teens were arrested and are now facing charges, News 12 reported.
Last month, a group of Jewish students at Cooper Union were forced to barricade themselves inside the campus library while pro-Hamas protesters tried to pound on the door as they yelled at them.
The incident took place during a pro-Israel and pro-Palestine that was happening simulatenously. Additional demonsrations were held at New York University and Columbia where many protested to boycott Israel and called for a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, The Times of Israel reported.
At Cornell University, a 21-year-old Cornell student was charged with threatening to shoot up the site of his school’s Center for Jewish Living.
In Montauk, at the Naturally Good Food and Café swastikas, the symbol of hatred against Jews, was sprayed on the door and picnic tables at the establishment.
There was also the words ‘Jews die’ written in German that was scrawled on a fence and some of the swastikas were splayed on food trucks. At a popular surfing spot in Montauk, Ditch Plains Beach, the words ‘Free Palestine’ was written next to it, the news outlet reported.
Police still continue to investigate the hate crimes.
Rabbi Josh Franklin of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons wrote on Facebook. ‘I spent the morning in Montauk cleaning up the graffiti left on a Montauk store owned by Jews,’ he said.
He added: ‘It feels like I’m living Kristallnacht in 2023.’
Owner Jane Hegelman Freeman shared her despair on Instagram.
‘This is Naturally Good in Montauk. ‘The End’ as we say. Our home. Our dear friends’ store. A small town in the USA. People live here to fish, surf and feel safe. I suppose I knew it before but it is confirmed: hate, ignorance and antisemitism are alive and well at The End. WTF America? @naturallygoodmtk.’
During the address, the governor spoke about those who are living in fear and wanted to reassure them that they have a right to feel safe and protected.
She said, in part: ‘No one walking down the street or in a subway should feel they have to hide what their religious beliefs are.’
A hotline has been created where people can report hate and bias incidents as the governor warned, ‘when they’ve crossed the line from hate speech into a hate crime that there will be prosecutions.’
She also addressed the alarming rate of anti-Semitism that is taking place on college campuses, particularly in the Jewish community, and college students that have been targeted.
‘I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,’ she said, in part, and referenced what she witnessed at Cornell. She added, the perpetrator is now behind bars.
‘We’ll make sure that all perpetrators of these crimes threats incitement to violence calling on others to kill other Jewish students perpetrators will be stopped and prosecuted.’
She added: ‘These are young people who are vulnerable. They should not be living in fear here in New York City.
With the staggering spike in anti-Semitism up 214 percent, Hochul said ‘we’ve not seen this level of hate crimes and fear since September 12th 2001.’
‘People are concerned they’re worried. I’m going to continue taking any step I can to increase the security of our individuals our members of the New York State Community today.’
She added: ‘If anyone thinks that they can get away with spreading hate and harming other New Yorkers and violating the law you will be caught.’
New York City represents the largest religious Jewish community of any city in the world, more than the combined totals of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
It home to approximately 1.6 million Jews and nearly half of the city’s Jews live in Brooklyn.