NYC Trains Public Safety Leaders to Combat Antisemitism

In a groundbreaking move to confront rising antisemitism, New York City hosted a specialized training session on Monday for more than 150 public safety professionals at the Police Academy in Flushing, Queens. The initiative, led by Mayor Eric Adams’ Office to Combat Antisemitism and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry, marks a first-of-its-kind effort to educate and empower those tasked with keeping the city safe.

Attendees included personnel from a wide range of city agencies the NYPD, school safety, parks enforcement, sanitation, health and mental hygiene, corrections, probation, and more. The goal was clear: equip frontline responders with the tools and knowledge to recognize and respond to antisemitism in its modern and often disguised forms.

“This training is part of our city’s all-of-government approach to combat antisemitism head-on,” said Moshe Davis, executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism. “By equipping our public safety professionals with the knowledge and context they need, we’re ensuring they can confront antisemitism wherever it appears whether it be in our parks, our schools, our streets, and beyond.”

The session featured opening remarks by First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro and Deputy Mayor Daughtry, followed by expert-led presentations. David Collins, a retired FBI special agent and senior fellow at the George Washington University Program on Extremism, delved into how antisemitic extremism is evolving in the United States. He connected the dots between anti-Israel propaganda, conspiracy theories, and rising domestic threats.

EJ Kimball of the Combat Antisemitism Movement provided practical insights on how to identify hate symbols and behaviors, educating participants on the subtle and overt signs of antisemitism across different sectors.

Mayor Adams, in a statement, reaffirmed the city’s zero-tolerance stance. “Keeping New York City’s streets safe is the first step to fighting antisemitism and all forms of hate. Every officer, trainer, and city employee must know how to recognize and respond to antisemitism,” he said.

He highlighted the dangerous symbolism of modern hate such as swastikas and the now-infamous inverted red triangle used by Hamas supporters and emphasized the need to counter the “ancient hatred repackaged through political extremism and propaganda masquerading as activism.”

This session was only the beginning. The Office to Combat Antisemitism plans to expand these workshops across departments in the coming months, ensuring that city employees are fully prepared to confront antisemitism in all its forms.

New York City recently adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and established an interagency task force to coordinate responses to hate. These actions are setting a powerful example for cities across the United States.

In a world where antisemitism is resurging with alarming speed, New York is taking bold action. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed and stand with Israel.