New York To Crackdown On ‘Domestic Terrorism, White Supremacists’
New York State is taking new steps in hopes it will stop domestic terrorism and white supremacy.
On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul released guidance for all counties in New York State and New York City. The guidance will support the development of Domestic Terrorism Prevention Plans.
New Guidance To Support New York Counties On Domestic Terrorism
"In the wake of the horrific domestic terror attack in my hometown of Buffalo, I committed to New Yorkers that we will confront the scourge of domestic terror head-on," Hochul stated. "New York is providing local governments with the tools they need to address the threat of domestic terror and targeted violence, so we can prevent tragedies before they even occur. I will never stop fighting to keep New Yorkers safe."
The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and its Office of Counter Terrorism at the State Emergency Preparedness Center is encouraging all counties in New York to develop their own Threat Assessment and Management (TAM) Teams as part of their Domestic Terrorism Prevention Plans.
Each county will be given $10 million to help create and operate each threat assessment management team. The teams will be made up of law enforcement, mental health professionals, school officials as well as any other key stakeholders tasked with identifying, assessing, and mitigating the threat of targeted violence, officials say.
New York Hopes To End White Supremacy
"The recent spike in domestic terror attacks represents one of the most pressing threats to public safety across the United States. In the last decade, domestic terror attacks and plots have tripled nationally. In 2021, there were 73 terrorist attacks and unearthed plots in the United States, including 38 white supremacist and similarly like-minded terrorist attacks and plots," Hochul's office stated in a press release.
Executive Order In Response To Buffalo, New York Terror
Hochul's latest executive order is a direct response to the white supremacist act of terror seen at the Buffalo supermarket in May, officials say.
"The executive order is specifically designed to fight the troubling surge in domestic terrorism and violent extremism frequently inspired by, planned on and posted about on social media platforms and internet forums," Hochul's office states.
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The Executive order calls upon:
- The New York State Division of Homeland Security to create a new unit within its Office of Counter Terrorism which will be dedicated to the prevention of domestic terrorism.
- Calls for Every county and New York City to develop and maintain a plan to address the threat of domestic terrorism, including racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists.
- Calls For New York State Police to create a new unit within the New York State Intelligence Center which will be dedicated to tracking domestic violent extremism. The new unit will also be tasked with increasing social media monitoring for investigative leads that may come from the online promotion of violent extremism.
"Domestic terrorism fueled by white supremacy and bigotry is the number one terrorism threat we currently face. Our team in the Office of Counter Terrorism is working around the clock to ensure counties across New York have everything they need to meet the challenge in front of us. Thanks to Governor Hochul's leadership, together we are working with our partners to make New York a safer place for everyone," Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said.
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