NYPD sources warn Mamdani’s rhetoric could turn Netanyahu’s NYC visit into security nightmare

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s calls to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his description of the Israeli leader as a “war criminal” are creating an additional security challenge for the NYPD ahead of Netanyahu’s planned visit to New York in late September, according to NYPD and New York City government sources cited by the New York Post.

Netanyahu is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 26, but his full New York itinerary has not yet been finalized.

With protests expected and Netanyahu facing threats from potential lone-wolf attackers, NYPD sources warned that Mamdani’s rhetoric could significantly complicate an already extensive security operation.

“Basically, he’s turning what would be considered a category 1 hurricane that we deal with every year into a category 5 because of his words,” a NYPD source told the New York Post.

“We have to protect hotels; we have to protect wherever dignitaries go out to eat; we have to protect everything,” the source explained. “Having the mayor say, ‘Go ahead and protest, and he should be arrested’ is unfair to your own officers."

Mamdani, who defines himself as an anti-Zionist, has repeatedly accused Israel of “genocide” in Gaza. Last month, he stated, “Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal,” while acknowledging that he would not be able to arrest the Israeli premier during his UN visit.

Mamdani accused Israel of “genocide” even before Israel launched its large-scale military operation against Hamas following the Oct. 7 massacre, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 people were kidnapped from southern Israeli communities.

Israel and its supporters strongly reject the genocide accusation, while the United States, France and Germany have also rejected the characterization of Israel’s actions as genocide. Mamdani has largely refrained from condemning Hamas, which openly calls for Israel’s destruction and the genocide of all Jews.

The Israeli leader’s complete New York schedule is still being finalized, making it unclear how many NYPD officers will ultimately be assigned to secure Netanyahu and his delegation. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an NYPD source estimated that up to 60 officers could be deployed as part of Netanyahu’s direct and peripheral security detail while he is in the city.

“What’s going to stop one of the protesters from becoming a vigilante and trying to hurt or, God forbid, kill him?” the NYPD source warned.

The threat against Netanyahu is not hypothetical. One NYPD source noted that two radicalized individuals reportedly inspired by ISIS tried in March to detonate bombs in a large crowd during a “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” protest. The source warned that similar terrorist attacks could potentially be attempted during Netanyahu’s visit.

The unnamed official also stressed that Mamdani’s “rhetoric is reckless.”

“It emboldens radical and unstable agitators who could endanger both New Yorkers and law enforcement officers,” the official warned.

Criticism of Mamdani’s rhetoric is not limited to the NYPD. A New York City government source also argued that the mayor’s hostility toward Israel could have broader security consequences for the city.

“It’s very concerning,” the source assessed. “I mean, [Mamdani’s] rhetoric has clearly caused this uptick in antisemitism all across our city, and now telling people to go out and protest is going to create a powder keg situation."

“It’s not the mayor’s job to tell people to protest and to urge them to do so,” the city government source argued. “It’s likely to be very violent. And I mean, what on Earth is this accomplishing?”

Netanyahu condemned Mamdani’s threats last month, describing them as an attempt to distract from what he characterized as the mayor’s failed policies in New York City.

“Like Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East,” Netanyahu’s office said in an official statement.