As the Israel-Palestine conflict continues, demonstrations and counter-demonstrations continue to occur in major cities across the U.S. and around the globe as individuals express their solidarity with Israel and Palestine. These gatherings have evolved into confrontations, resulting in violent clashes and subsequent arrests by law enforcement, primarily due to the presence of counter-demonstrators. These protests have been particularly noticeable in North America and Europe but have also occurred in various cities in South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. In the last 24 hours, protests have occurred in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon, with additional rallies in Morocco and Australia.
Further demonstrations will likely continue to occur globally in the next several days. While most protests are peaceful, there have been instances where law enforcement authorities have made arrests, notably in cities such as Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York. Incidents of physical altercations, vandalism, and blockages of major downtown roads have been reported. In Harrisburg, PA., a man was arrested after terrorizing a group of peaceful demonstrators while yelling racial slurs and pointing a firearm. Upcoming demonstrations will likely disrupt traffic and could lead to clashes, especially in major cities where law enforcement or counter-demonstrators are significant. Institutions representing Israeli, Palestinian, Jewish, and Muslim communities remain at an elevated risk of being targeted with protests and potential vandalism. Please refer to the list below for details on upcoming events.
MSA Intel will continue to monitor this situation and provide relevant updates.
October 16, 2023
- New York City, NY –12:00 p.m. EDT –Haven Plaza, West 168th St. and Fort Washington Ave
- Tucson, AZ –2:30 p.m. EDT –Tucson Mall on N Stone Ave.
- Philadelphia, PA –4:00 p.m. EDT –City Hall, 300 N Juniper St
- Boston, MA –5:00 p.m. EDT –Copley Square Park
- Detroit, MI –6:00 p.m. EDT –Gabriel Richard Park, E Jefferson Ave
- Minneapolis, MN –4:00 p.m. EDT –Bryant Square Park, Bryant Ave S
- Spokane, WA –5:00 p.m. PDT –City Hall on West Spokane Falls Blvd
October 17, 2023
- Las Vegas, NV –3:00 p.m. EDT –Lloyd D George Courthouse at 333 S. Las Vegas Blvd
October 18, 2023
- Tallahassee, FL –7:30 p.m. EDT –Cascades Park, S Gadsden St
October 19, 2023
- None posted at this time.
October 20, 2023
- St. Louis, MO –6:00 p.m. CDT –Art Hill, Forest Park
- October 21, 2023
- Anchorage, AK –3:00 p.m. AKDT –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Living Memorial (Corner of L St. & 9th Ave)
- Providence, RI –1:00 p.m. EDT –RI State House Steps (82 Smith St)
October 22, 2023
- Atlanta, GA –2:30 p.m. EDT –200 Edgewood Ave NE
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Avoid protest locations and large public gatherings, when possible.
- Expect traffic disruptions throughout the area to continue until the demonstrations have concluded.
- Do not engage with demonstrators as this could escalate the situation.
- Follow all directions from authorities and law enforcement.
- Monitor local news for reports of demonstrations or other disruptions
- Monitoring social media or online forums and acting upon credible threats and trends will allow security details and site managers to adequately prepare to deter any threats.
- Have a proactive plan in place to deter criminal activity while protecting employees and assets. Considerations include:
- Procuring additional security assets to augment existing teams.
- Conducting security system tests to ensure all systems are fully operational.
- Creating an evacuation plan in the event of widespread civil unrest or other events that could jeopardize safety.
- Reviewing key control and all emergency protocols with members of the organization.
- Reviewing cyber best practices (ensuring systems have the most current updates, compatible devices use multi-factor authentication, etc.) with members across the organization.
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