The interim superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department is deploying directed patrols outside of the city’s synagogues and facilities connected to the city’s Jewish community.
Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick says she made the decision to put those patrols in place amid the ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas. Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Saturday. Israel responded on Sunday with an attack of its own on the Gaza Strip shortly after declaring war on the fundamentalist militant political party which controls the Palestinian parliament.
The United States, the European Union, and several other allied world governments have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.
“The New Orleans Police Department is aware of the situation in the Middle East and out of an abundance of caution, I have deployed Directed Patrols to ensure the safety of our Jewish institutions and communities,” Kirkpatrick said. “NOPD District Captains will continue to work closely with Synagogue and community leaders in the interest of keeping our communities safe.”
