NYPD Battens Down the Hatches Ahead of Expected NYE Protests

The New York Police Department and several major television networks are preparing for the worst as pro Palestinian protests are expected to coincide with the annual Times’ Square New Year’s Eve celebration Sunday night. Cops in the Big Apple have declared a “heightened threat environment” in the wake of Hamas’ brutal Oct.

7 attack on Israel, and already dealt with unruly demonstrators interrupting the city’s annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade last month. A source within the NYPD told Deadline that they expect the law enforcement presence at Sunday’s celebration to be “significantly greater than usual.” Mayor Eric Adams said Sunday at a press conference that there was no specific threat police were preparing for—but that the city is still taking every precaution.

He pointed to a bloody attack which took place during last year’s New Year’s Eve celebration, in which a machete wielding teen slashed three NYPD officers. The 19 year old later claimed his opposition to U.S. support for Israel as motivation for the attack. “As we saw last year, after having no specific threats we get a threat, and we are going to be ready,” Adams said of the preparations for Sunday’s festivities.

“The full complement of our public safety apparatus will be on display.” A protest titled “ Shut It Down! For Palestine ” is scheduled to begin Sunday evening in Columbus Circle, the site of CNN’s New York City headquarters. Though the network—as well as ABC, which hosts its own annual New Year’s Eve live coverage in New York City—deferred to the NYPD on questions of security when contacted by Deadline , a source close to the cable networks told the trade publication: “We are prepared for anything and everything, especially when it comes to the safety of our team.” Festivities are set to begin in Times Square at 6 p.m.

ET, with up to 1 million people expected to attend..