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Federal authorities urge vigilance in NYC, other areas during Pride Month
By
Michelle Bocanegra
Published May 18, 2024
Modified May 18, 2024
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Amanda Addison
By
Michelle Bocanegra
Published May 18, 2024
Modified May 18, 2024
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Federal officials are urging New Yorkers to be vigilant for potential attacks on LGBTQ+ individuals — internationally and domestically — ahead of Pride Month in June, though no specific threats have been identified.
In an advisory sent Friday, the State Department urged Americans abroad to exercise caution and be mindful of possible attacks, citing “increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons and events.” The language mirrored a similar alert from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier this month that warned of the potential for attacks during large celebrations, “including Pride celebrations or LGBTQIA+-related venues.”
New York City is one of the premier global destinations for Pride Month and there will be dozens of events throughout the month of June. The city is the home to one of the first Pride Marches in 1970, a year after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular Greenwich Village gay bar, and patrons fought back after years of discrimination. The "Stonewall Riots" are considered the unofficial launch of the gay rights movement in the U.S.
The threats now are “compounded by the current heightened threat environment in the United States and other western countries,” a public service announcement from the FBI and Homeland Security reads, referring in part to the Israeli military actions in Gaza.
Federal officials cited the deadly 2016 shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, which killed 49 people and wounded more than 50 others, as an example of what foreign terrorist organizations have urged sympathizers to emulate. The gunman was an American-born man who officials say had pledged support to ISIS.
The alerts this year follow similar threats last year against the LGBTQ+ community that federal officials said emanated from domestic right-wing extremists which also accelerated ahead of Pride Month in 2023.
No major issues were reported in New York last year and federal officials listed no specific foreign or domestic targets for this June, including in New York City.
But the State Department, FBI and Homeland Security warned people at home and abroad to remain vigilant in popular tourist locations including Pride celebrations and LGBTQ+ venues.
The NYPD said in a statement that each year it plans out a complex and robust counterterrorism response during Pride month in New York City. The department's Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau monitors "all relevant streams of intelligence" in real time to gauge threats from both foreign and domestic terror groups.
Department officials emphasized the NYPD "remains ever-ready and ever-vigilant" to protect New Yorkers during Pride month.
This story has been updated with a response from the NYPD.
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Michelle Bocanegra
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