NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The NYPD has warned that extremist groups may target political gatherings, polling places and election workers as Election Day nears.
The "current complex domestic threat environment" has led the department to be extra weary, according to an internal report by the NYPD Intelligence Bureau that was obtained by the Daily News Thursday.
"Racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists and anti-government, anti-authority violent extremists will continue to prioritize the targeting of political rallies, voting sites, poll workers, and election officials, necessitating elevated vigilance as the U.S. midterms elections begin," the report said.
Though the assessment notes that there are no concrete threats to New York or its political leaders, incidents like the attack on Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin during a July campaign stop and online extremist chatter against government officials, judges and politicians reportedly show that vigilance is warranted as early voting sites open Saturday.
"From mid-September to early October, users across far-right, ultranationalist and QAnon extremist forums called for adherents to become 'poll challengers' and encouraged violence, intimidation tactics and the sabotage of voting machines, if they believe they witnessed 'fraud' and 'cheating' at the polls," the report added.
Some extremist forum users have claimed to be official election inspectors and poll precinct delegates, according to the Intelligence Bureau report, which claims that "these assertions indicate an access to voting sites and facilitate their ability to carry out acts of violence."
Zeldin is challenging Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, hoping to become the first Republican governor of the Empire State since former Gov. George Pataki.
