NYC braces for Netanyahu visit amid 'security nightmare' and accusations against Mayor Mamdani

New York is preparing for Netanyahu's visit to the UN General Assembly in September, with police sources warning that Mayor Mamdani's calls to protest could exacerbate the security challenge. More than 60 officers and detectives are expected to be involved in security, alongside federal and state officials. The mayor has previously called for Netanyahu's arrest and for people to take to the streets, and police fear extreme violence.

New York is preparing a massive security operation for the expected visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next month to the UN General Assembly. According to a report in the New York Post, sources in the NYPD warn that the calls by Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to protest during the visit could significantly intensify the security challenge. Netanyahu is expected to address the Assembly on September 26, but the full schedule has not yet been set, so the final security footprint is still unknown. Police sources estimated that more than 60 officers and detectives may be involved in the direct and perimeter security envelope, alongside federal, state, and Israeli security personnel. Mamdani, who previously expressed support for Netanyahu's arrest, reiterated those remarks last month before acknowledging that the NYPD lacks the authority to make such an arrest, and called on the public to "take to the streets" during the visit. A law enforcement source criticized the mayor's conduct, saying it turns a complex security event into a far more dangerous one, comparing it to a Category 1 hurricane becoming a Category 5. Police sources expressed concern that the atmosphere could encourage extremist protesters to act violently, not only against Netanyahu but also against officers. Scott Munro, president of the NYPD Detectives' Union, said Mamdani's rhetoric "only fuels the fire." The police said the security scale will be determined based on threat assessment, in coordination with the Secret Service and the State Department.