As the Israel-Palestine conflict continues, demonstrations and counterdemonstrations continue to occur nationally and internationally in support of Israel and Palestine. Most demonstrations occur in North America and Europe, with several occurring in South America, Asia, and Australia. Physical altercations and arrests have been reported between opposing sides at many of these events. In the last 24 hours, protests have occurred in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, India, and Japan. Additional protests are likely to continue throughout the week. While most demonstrations remain peaceful, arrests have been made at demonstrations in Washington, DC; Delhi, India; and the United Kingdom. In Washington DC, more than 30 people were arrested at Monday’s protest outside the White House as they blocked entrances to the complex. Incidents of physical altercations, vandalism, and blockages of major downtown roads have been reported in recent demonstrations throughout the United States. Upcoming demonstrations will likely result in traffic disruptions and could lead to physical altercations. Major cities are at an elevated risk where law enforcement or counterdemonstrators 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 17, 2023
- Las Vegas, NV – 3:00 p.m. EDT – Lloyd D George Courthouse at 333 S. Las Vegas Blvd
- Washington DC – 9:30 a.m. EDT – Rayburn Office Building on Independence Ave. SW
- Columbia, SC – 5:30 p.m. EDT - South Carolina State House (1100 Gervais St)
- Houghton, MI - 5:00 p.m. EDT - Veterans Memorial Park (Memorial Rd)
October 18, 2023
- Tallahassee, FL – 7:30 p.m. EDT – Cascades Park, S Gadsden St
- Springfield, MA - 3:30 p.m. EDT - 1550 Main St, Springfield, MA 01103
- Washington, D.C. - 11:00 a.m. Capitol Hill, exact location TBA
October 19, 2023
- Pittsfield, MA - 4:30 p.m. EDT - Intersection of Merrill Rd and Plastics Ave, in front of General Dynamics
October 20, 2023
- St. Louis, MO – 6:00 p.m. CDT – Art Hill, Forest Park
- Ozone Park, NY – 2:00 p.m. EDT - Front of 24/7 Laundromat 7402 101st Ave (Ozone Park NY 11416)
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)
- Philadelphia, PA – 5:30 p.m. EDT – Civil Hall
October 22, 2023
- Atlanta, GA – 2:30 p.m. EDT – 200 Edgewood Ave NE
- Downers Grove, II – 1:30 p.m. CDT - 1:30 p.m.
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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