NYPD expanding Times Square security zone for New Year’s Eve to counter expected protests

Published Dec 29, 2023 at 6:26 p.m. ET

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Published Dec 29, 2023 at 6:26 p.m. ET

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The police security zone surrounding the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration will expand this year to account for expected protests related to the Israel-Hamas war, officials said Friday.

While NYPD officials did not say how many protesters they anticipate, they said the screening zone where New Year’s revelers are checked on entry will now run from 6th to 8th avenues and from 41st to 57th streets. Hundreds of thousands of people typically attend the festivities, according to the Times Square Alliance, a group focused on the vibrancy of the area.

“That gives us a buffer zone so we can move quickly if we have to, like last year,” Chief of Patrol John Chell said at a press conference held ahead of the event. “It also gives us a space for protesters not to come in here.”

NYPD officials said they were not aware of any credible threats to the event, but added they were preparing for possible lone-wolf attacks like one last year on New Year’s Eve where three officers were assaulted by a man with a machete eight blocks from Times Square.

Police also said they will deploy aerial drones around the perimeter of the security zone to monitor for potential demonstrations. They warned that, as usual for the highly attended annual event, backpacks, duffel bags, large packages and alcohol will not be permitted in the security zone.

At the press conference, Mayor Eric Adams accused protesters at recent demonstrations of “exploiting” an NYPD settlement agreement, reached in September, arising from claims that officers violated demonstrators’ rights during Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. The agreement is meant to boost oversight of police activity and eliminate “kettling,” a controversial tactic where police surround protesters and block their movement.

“I think that people exploit that and we're seeing some of that exploitation now,” he said. “You're seeing when you have 5,000 people deciding to block the bridge and all you can do is issue them a summons, I think it's encouraging behavior to be disruptive in the city.”

Some civil rights advocates said they were troubled by the mayor’s comments.

“The kind of notion that arrests would be used to dissuade people from engaging in their First Amendment activities,” said Daniel Lambright, staff attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union. “But on the ground, what we've seen is that officers are acting with a little bit more leeway for protesters and that has led to more safe outcomes for individuals.”

Some pro-Palestinian activists, meanwhile, took issue with Adams’ remarks as hard-handed. Approximately 450 protests related to the Israel-Hamas war have taken place in the city since Oct. 7 and have been predominantly peaceful, officials said last week, noting 158,000 people attended.

“The tactics we see today in protesting are not new,” said Fatin Jarara, an organizer with Al-Awda, a Palestinian rights coalition. “They've been seen throughout the history of progressive movements. People are seeing that appealing to the moral sense of elected officials that have continuously supported our oppression is futile.”

Read more about expected street closures and transit advisories for Sunday’s event, as well as the city’s plans to crack down on drunken driving around the holiday.

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Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at charles@wnyc.org, or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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