South Florida officials tell Jewish community to stay vigilant in wake of Hamas calls for ‘day of rage,’ but no credible threat detected

Still grappling with the Hamas terrorist attacks on Saturday that killed hundreds of Israeli civilians, Jewish people throughout South Florida were told to stay vigilant Friday following calls from the former chief of Hamas for a day of protests across the Muslim world.

“To all scholars who teach jihad… to all who teach and learn, this is a moment for the application (of theories),” the former Hamas chief, Khaled Meshaal, said in a recorded statement reported by Reuters.

Though national and local law enforcement officials say there is currently no credible threat, many have already increased presence at synagogues and schools over the last week, and some are increasing that presence even more this weekend.

The calls for protests come almost one week after Hamas gunmen broke through Gaza’s border with southern Israel, massacring civilians, including women and children. The death toll in Israel currently sits at over 1,300 people. In response, the country declared war on Hamas. Over 1,700 people have been killed in Gaza as the Israeli military orders people in the north to evacuate south.

Local law enforcement will be ‘highly visible’

Hallandale Beach Police will be doubling its road patrol personnel through the weekend due to “calls to Hamas sympathizers to target Jewish communities within the United States,” the police department said in a statement on Facebook Friday. Units will be “highly visible and strategically located.”

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced this week that it had enhanced its presence around “temples, mosques and religious establishments” due to “global tensions and hate crimes” and encouraged residents to report any suspicious activity.

The Sheriff’s Office was not aware of a specific threat Friday, according to spokesperson Teri Barbera. But she added that deputies are highly visible and on the “periphery” throughout the county.

“We are on high alert, we are absolutely on high alert,” Barbera said. “… you’ll see us definitely visibly and peripherally, in the wings, where we don’t want to be seen, if we hear of anything specific.”

The Broward County School District also sent an email to parents ahead of Friday.

“Our District is aware of information being circulated about activity by the militant group Hamas on Friday, October 13, 2023,” the email read, adding that BCPS is “maintaining constant and ongoing communications with the law enforcement intelligence community,” though they “have not identified any credible threats locally.”

“The District encourages everyone to stay vigilant, and if you see something, say something,” the email concluded.

Palm Beach County schools are closed Friday.

Local chapters of organizations that monitor extremism are also on alert, though they say no credible threat currently exists.

The Anti-Defamation League’s Florida office warned of a video circulating on social media that depicts Meshaal asking people to “send a message of rage to Zionists and to America,” though the organization has not yet confirmed the video’s origins.

“While the provenance of this video is yet to be determined, it is circulating widely online and could incite antisemitic incidents,” the office said in a statement on Facebook.

The Jewish community should “remain aware,” avoid confrontation with protesters, limit access at synagogues and schools to one building entry and one exit, keep doors locked at all times, and not open doors for strangers, the statement said.

The calls come amid already heightened levels of antisemitism in Florida, according to Lonny Wilk, the deputy regional director for ADL Florida, though past incidents have typically come from rightwing extremists and white supremacist groups.

South Florida’s synagogues and Jewish schools already have been on high alert as a result, upping security over the years.

“In general, ADL, regardless of the time or circumstance, urges all Jewish institutions to have a strong security awareness as part of community culture 24/7,” Wilk said. “It’s necessary that all Jewish institutions maintain strong relationships with local law enforcement.”

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