The Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Capitol Police said they are taking proactive security measures to protect the March for Israel, a massive pro-Israel demonstration planned for Tuesday, The Daily Signal has learned.
Both departments stressed, however, that they could not disclose specifics.
The Metropolitan Police Department is working closely with both “local and federal partners to ensure safety and security,” the MPD told The Daily Signal, adding: “MPD does not provide specifics on operations, tactics or staffing.”
“MPD encourages the public to remain vigilant. If you see something, say something,” the MPD statement noted. “Please report immediate suspicious activity by calling 911.”
“We are doing a lot to protect everyone, but for security reasons, it would be foolish for us to tell everyone,” a spokesman from the Capitol Police told The Daily Signal. “Certainly, you can count on increased staffing, working with law enforcement across the region, etc.”
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who said in an Oct. 10 social media post that the city “stands with Israel,” did not respond to The Daily Signal’s requests for comment.
Organized by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the March for Israel will take place at 1 p.m. Tuesday on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The Jewish Federations of North America represents 146 federations as well as hundreds of independent communities “dedicated to building and sustaining flourishing Jewish communities at home, in Israel, and around the world,” according to a press release for the march.
“The March for Israel will be an opportunity for all Americans to come together in solidarity with the people of Israel, to demonstrate our commitment to America’s most important ally in the Middle East, to condemn the rising trend of antisemitic violence and harassment, and to demand that every hostage be immediately and safely released,” the march website says.
Organizers promise high security at the event, where participants will pass through metal detectors and be given blue wristbands to wear.
Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, said in a statement that Hamas killed “the most Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust” during the brutal Oct. 7 attack.
“Israel must eliminate the terrorist threat on its border and restore safety and security to its people,” he added. “Americans have rightly stood by Israel at this critical moment because Americans understand that Israel’s fight against Hamas is no different than America’s fight against al-Qaida and ISIS.”
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