Pope Francis arrived in Washington D.C. this afternoon for the first leg of his U.S. visit. He is scheduled to be in D.C. from September 22-24, New York City from September 24 – 26, and Philadelphia from September 26 – 27.
The Pope’s visit to New York coincides with the United Nations General Assembly and President’ Obama’s visit, raising significant security concerns. Numerous events are scheduled throughout the city, many at iconic locations with national and religious significance, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the World Trade Center, and Madison Square Garden. The presence of so many public figures in such high profile venues make the events attractive targets for potential terrorist activity. International terrorist groups such as the al Qaeda franchise and ISIL continue to call for attacks on the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security has declared the Pope’s visit a National Special Security Event (NSSE) Opens in a new window, allowing the Secret Service to design and implement the security plan. The NYPD, New York City Emergency Management, FBI, FEMA, Coast Guard, and a number of other agencies, will also play a critical operational role. Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Michael McCaul, revealed earlier this month that a threat against the Pope has already been thwarted.
New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton has called it “the largest security challenge the department and this city have ever faced Opens in a new window.” Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton held a multiagency training exercise Opens in a new windowto talk about the specifics of the Pope’s security during his visit. Training exercises included the response to several potential events including a gunman at a hospital, another shooter at a train station, and a power outage followed by a bomb explosion in Times Square. Cameras, detection equipment and explosive detection canines will be deployed to keep the Pope, Diplomats, and the public safe.
In addition to emergency life safety concerns, this week’s events could draw protest activity from activists, which may cause significant disruptions to traffic and access to certain areas of the city. The city has already announced a list and schedule of street closures Opens in a new window during the Pontiff’s visit. The NYPD has warned New Yorkers to expect significant gridlock. While subways have been added to ease the transportation challenges, many stations may be limited or closed.
MSA is ramping up staffing at numerous client locations in response to the week’s activities. Our Research and Intelligence Analysis team is monitoring the conducting real time social media monitoring 24 hours a day to assess and respond to the evolving threat spectrum.