BROOKLINE, Mass. — Local Jewish communities and police departments are ramping up their security around places of worship after a Jewish synagogue was attacked in Michigan Thursday morning.
Brookline and Newton police are two communities in Massachusetts that have increased patrols around religious centers Thursday night.
“Certainly a horrific and scary event out there,” said Deputy Superintendent of Brookline police Russell O’Neill. "
He said increased security means, “Ensuring that we have a visible marked cruiser present, officers visible in the area. I think it provides a level of security.”
After a man rammed his car into a West Bloomfield, MI, synagogue Thursday morning, Brookline Police said they proactively reached out to town temples and synagogues.
Since 2018, in light of Jewish-targeted attacks across the country, Brookline police launched active threat training programs with town worship centers. They also have regular safety walkthroughs and assessments of their locations.
Meanwhile, local Jewish leaders like Robert Leikand, regional director of New England’s Jewish American Community spoke out agains the violence.
“We’ve seen this before,” he told Boston 25 Thursday. “We’re a resilient community and we need to be.”
He claimed that their recent surveys showed roughly 90% of Jewish Americans feel more unsafe this year than last.
Leikand explained, “We’re 2.5% of the population of this country, and 70% of all religiously based hate crimes. Those numbers aren’t much better here in Massachusetts.”
He continued, “Most synagogues today have been compelled to lock their doors... It’s not anything any of us imagined would ever be the case. But, it is part of the reality of the Jewish community today.”
Rep. Jake Auchincloss also spoke against the continued attacks against Jewish Americans.
“We know that there are lone wolves or state sponsored actors who are trying to reek havoc,” he added.
Massachusetts State Police are also monitoring the situation in Michigan. They said in a statement Thursday:
“The Massachusetts State Police and the Commonwealth Fusion Center continually maintain situational awareness on matters that could have an impact on public safety in the Commonwealth, including today’s events in Michigan. We also provide relevant updates to our public safety partners.
Beyond any specific incident, we always urge residents to report any suspicious activity to police by calling 9-1-1. We will investigate those reports and share any relevant information with our local, state, and federal partners.
If you see something, say something."
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