Authorities in New York and Chicago warn Jewish communities to stay alert after neo-Nazi groups declare ‘Day of Hate’
- US authorities warned that neo-Nazi extremist groups are planning a “Day of Hate” for Saturday.
- While there are no “credible threats,” police and watchdog groups are “actively monitoring” the situation.
Authorities in New York and Chicago and watchdog groups warned that neo-Nazi extremist groups could be planning to target Jewish people in a “National Day of Hate” on Saturday, February 25.
The Chicago Police Department said in a statement on Thursday, “At this time, there is no actionable intelligence,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “We continue to actively monitor the situation.”
Chicago authorities said they are “in contact with members, leaders, and organizations within the Jewish community and all faith-based communities in Chicago and will continue working closely with them to strengthen communication and safety.”
A similar statement by the NYPD circulating online said that officers should maintain “elevated situational awareness” on Saturday – the Jewish Sabbath – for violent extremism.
The New York Police Department’s statement said overtly antisemitic social media posts from extremists have been “instructing likeminded individuals to drop banners, place stickers and flyers, or scrawl graffiti” to target Jewish people.
While an NYPD spokesperson said while there are currently no credible threats, “out of an abundance of caution, the Department will deploy additional resources to sensitive locations, including houses of worship, throughout the weekend,” according to local news.
On Thursday, researchers for the Counter Extremism Project found that several neo-Nazi groups had coordinated the “Day of Hate” on the messaging platform Telegram.
