A joint bulletin issued in late June by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other law enforcement agencies warned that the most significant threat “facing the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks stems from lone offenders and small groups of individuals seeking to commit acts of violence.”
These individuals are often motivated by a wide spectrum of racial, anti-government, societal, ethnic, political, or personal grievances, it said. The threat is not limited to New York City, and other large gatherings may be targeted, it further said.
In response to the warnings, the DHS told Fox News that it is strengthening security procedures and boosting intelligence sharing in order to proactively mitigate risks. “At this time, DHS is not aware of any specific, credible threats to Fourth of July celebrations,” it added.“High-profile, large events can draw interest from malicious actors looking for targets of opportunity to perpetrate criminal schemes,” the bulletin said, reported CNN.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that she has been consistently briefed on the present threat scenario in the past few weeks in light of global tensions. “Our federal partners reiterated yesterday that lone wolf actors remain the greatest potential threat, including during the upcoming July 4th holiday. Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority — especially as families gather to celebrate this holiday weekend,” Hochul was quoted as saying by Fox News.
Tensions over Israel’s war on Gaza have been tied to a wave of recent attacks in the US, and authorities warn that similar incidents may occur on July 4.
“Most attackers motivated at least in part by the Israel-HAMAS conflict have selected targets with a symbolic link to Israel, houses of worship, or locations associated with houses of worship. Individuals with grievances linked to the conflict could also perceive large gatherings, such as Independence Day celebrations, as opportunistic targets symbolic of the West in general,” the threat assessment added.
Hochul noted that State Police will now have an increased presence at big events around the state. Her office is also working closely with federal and local law enforcement authorities to ensure public safety.
