Mayor Eric Adams: Good morning. A beautiful day to be in this city, and most importantly, a beautiful day to be safe in the city, as we're joined here today with our federal partners, the police commissioner, and Commissioner Camara. We are all here to talk about the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. And next week, the session will ramp up with many heads of state and heads of government attending. This building represents so much for our country and the globe. It is a place where many discussions take place to deal with major issues that we're facing globally.
And it's a real symbol of our ability to sit down and have healthy dialogue, even when we disagree. The iconic UN sits near the East River, remains a symbol of not only peace, but a symbol of hope. And I'm proud to be the mayor of this city that would house this important conversation, something that we call UNGA, United Nations General Assembly. New York City is a global city, and events that happen in one part of the globe will impact all of us. And we cannot solve issues like climate change, the migrant crisis, poverty, inequities, war, and epidemics alone.
We need each other, and we see that every day. We have collective responsibility to act and work together to combat the issues of our time. And next week, as global leaders, diplomats, civil society representatives, press, and advocates will come together to discuss these issues, we have an obligation to ensure they're able to do it in a safe manner. And we will accomplish that task. The brave men and women of the NYPD, FDNY, and our federal partners will come together and ensure the safety of this city.
We're going to coordinate with the Department of Transportation, Department of Sanitation, Department of Parks and Recreation, New York City Emergency Management, and [work] around the clock to ensure the safety and well-coordination of our visitors, as well as everyday New Yorkers. We must thank Commissioner Aissata Camara, who's here with us today, [from] the Mayor's Office of International Affairs, for her coordination in dealing with the sensitivities of those who are arriving here in the city.
And our New York City Police Department Intelligence Division and Executive Protection will play a crucial role in this coordination. We want to thank the United Nations staff and their security personnel for joining us in coordinating. But we cannot do this alone. As we indicated, the coordination with our federal security partners, including U.S. Secret Service, the Diplomatic Security Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. These partners and our coordination will ensure a safe UN General Assembly.
The UN Security and Safety Service will be crucial to this operation. And our intelligence division with Commissioner Rebecca Weiner will ensure that we have a clear line of communication at all times. And at this time, there are currently no known specific or credible threats against the United Nations. But our posture is elevated out of an abundance of caution given the global environment. We will have thousands of officers, canines deployed, and we will be protecting New Yorkers and visitors underground and on subways, as well as on our streets surrounding the United Nations.
And from the air, we'll be using our drones and helicopters and on our waterways with our harbor and counterterrorism units. Because as always, we remain vigilant and we're telling New Yorkers, security is a shared responsibility. So [if] you see something, say something, and most importantly, do something [and] notify the authorities. There will also be security measures that you may not see. And pedestrians and vehicle closures will be in effect on and off throughout the weekend and into next week. So if you're getting around the city, it's always better to take public transportation.
Security is always [the] responsibility of all of us, and we will coordinate together. Safeguarding events is something that the NYPD does better than any Police Department in the nation, and the United Nations General Assembly would be no different. And as we welcome 200 world leaders to our city over the next few weeks, we're going to recommit to working together and standing behind the principle that formed this great body. The principles of human rights, justice, peace, dignity, and humanity.
And as one great New Yorker, Eleanor Roosevelt, once stated, it isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it, and it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work towards it. And so as the 80th session of the United Nations begins, let's continue to work towards peace and hope. I want to turn it over to the police commissioner of the City of New York, Commissioner Tisch.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch: Thank you, sir. Good morning, and thank you all for being here. Beginning September 23rd, New York City will once again host the high-level general debate for the 80th United Nations General Assembly. Over the course of the week, representatives from more than 200 countries will gather here to address urgent global challenges at a time when many regions are experiencing deep conflict and instability. Despite those tensions overseas, at this time, as the mayor said, there are no known specific credible threats to this year's General Assembly, but that fact does not change our posture.
The NYPD remains fully prepared with a layered security plan designed to meet the need. The high-level week begins with a surge of arrivals on Sunday, September 21st, and will involve hundreds of motorcades throughout the week. NYPD officers supporting these motorcades are fully briefed on their respective countries, including security concerns and any unique cultural or diplomatic considerations. Beyond the UN headquarters itself, other meetings and special events across the city will require resources and protection.
Thousands of NYPD officers will secure routes, fortify protection for the president of the United States, support security at hotels where heads of state will be staying, and ensure the safe movement of delegations citywide. The resources that we are deploying are extensive and go beyond just a uniformed presence. Our specialized units will be out in full force all week, including harbor units on the rivers, aviation assets overhead, heavy weapons teams, and counterterrorism officers on the street.
And our TARU drone team will be providing real-time situational awareness. Additionally, a temporary flight restriction will be in effect from September 21st through September 27th with a two-nautical-mile radius of the UN. Flying drones inside this restricted airspace is strictly prohibited. The NYPD will be working closely with our federal partners to detect and swiftly mitigate any unauthorized flights. This is one of the largest and most complex security operations anywhere.
Our Intelligence Division has worked in lockstep with the U.S. Secret Service, the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service, the FBI, and international partners to ensure that world leaders and millions of New Yorkers are prepared and protected. And of course, we rely on the public as part of that mission. If you see something, say something. Call 888-NYC-SAFE to report anything suspicious. We also protect everyone's First Amendment right to protest. Peaceful demonstration is a vital part of our democracy, but we will not tolerate anything that causes disorder, that disrupts daily life, or that threatens the security of this event.
Here's what the public needs to know about traffic impacts. First Avenue will be closed from 42nd Street to 48th Street, and 44th Street through 48th Street will be closed from First Avenue to Second Avenue daily for the duration of the assembly. Passenger vehicles and bicycles may use the First Avenue tunnel to travel north through the area. However, it's important to note that there will be rolling and intermittent closures citywide as delegations move between venues, including parts of the FDR Drive. We strongly urge everyone to use mass transit and allow extra time for travel throughout the week.
Even with thousands of officers devoted to UNGA security, our work across the city does not stop. Our fall violence reduction zones and other precision policing initiatives continue without interruption, ensuring that our focus on gun violence and neighborhood safety remain constant. Through comprehensive planning, deep federal and international partnerships, and the dedication of NYPD officers citywide, New York will remain safe, welcoming, and in motion through this global event. And now I would like to turn it over to the special agent in charge of the Secret Service's New York field office, Matt McCool.
Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service: Thank you, Commissioner Tisch. Good morning, everyone. I am Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service New York field office. The eyes of the world will be on New York City next week as the 80th United Nations General Assembly kicks into high gear. Designated a National Special Security Event, or NSSE, this is the largest gathering of global leaders on the planet. There will be more than 150 world leaders and their spouses converging on Manhattan. That is 75 percent of all United Nations members.
The Secret Service, along with our federal, state, and local partners, have been [developing] the comprehensive security plan for many months. This is a recurring NSSE, as authorized by the Secretary of Homeland Security, which allows for a whole-of-government approach to providing the highest levels of security. While the U.S. Secret Service is the lead agency responsible for the coordination and implementation of the overall security plan, this is a total team effort. I cannot overstate this.
Our success in securing the UN General Assembly relies heavily on a broad spectrum of partners. First and foremost, the NYPD stands alone as our essential partner in this important work. They provide an unprecedented number of officers, assets, and expertise. The Secret Service thanks Commissioner Tisch and her incredible team for [their] dedication and support. We also work closely with so many other local partners, including the Port Authority Police Department, the New York City Office of Emergency Management, and the FDNY.
I'd also like to thank and recognize some of our many federal partners who also play a critical role in this effort, including the Diplomatic Security Service, Brian Wood, DHS Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Air Marshals, TSA, the FBI, DOD, HHS, FEMA, and the U.S. Coast Guard. I would also like to recognize and thank Michael Browne, the Chief of UN Security and Safety Services, for his tremendous partnership. As the UN General Assembly ramps up in the days ahead, I want everyone to know that the members of the Secret Service, along with our incredible team, will be hard at work, ensuring the highest level of security for our protectees and the public.
An operation of this size will undoubtedly cause disruptions across the city. Please note the frozen zones around the United Nations complex and the surrounding areas. As Commissioner Tisch mentioned, our partners at the Federal Aviation Administration are implementing temporary flight restrictions throughout New York City, including the United Nations and local airports over the next week. These restrictions also prohibit the use of drones. Violators could have their drones confiscated or be charged criminally.
The public, however, will see authorized Secret Service and NYPD drones flying in the restricted airspace. There will also be waterway restrictions along the East River adjacent to the United Nations. The U.S. Coast Guard and the NYPD Harbor Patrol will enforce these restrictions. The Secret Service is mindful of the 8 million New Yorkers whose lives do not simply stop because the UN General Assembly is in session. We appreciate your patience over the next week. When it comes to our collective safety, everyone in New York is a force multiplier. If you see something, say something. Do not let it go. Tell a cop or tell any member of the Secret Service. We appreciate you. I would like to introduce Special Agent in Charge of the Diplomatic Security Service, Brian Wood. Thank you.
Brian Wood, Special Agent in Charge, Diplomatic Security Service: Thank you, Matt. Good morning, everybody. I am Brian Wood, the Special Agent in Charge of the Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office. The Diplomatic Security Service is a law enforcement and security bureau of the Department of State. This UN General Assembly is our largest protection mission of the year. During this year's United Nations General Assembly, marking the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter, diplomatic security will coordinate with dozens of law enforcement partners to secure this event.
Over 600 DS Special Agents, ATF, U.S. Marshal Service Agents, and support personnel will be in New York City to support operations and protect approximately 50 foreign ministers and other dignitaries as they focus on important global issues. We welcome the opportunity to work with our law enforcement partners to provide the highest level of protective security. Through our work, we are helping advance U.S. foreign policy and national security interests, both here in New York and around the world.
The ultimate goal is to keep America safe and secure while welcoming our own representatives and the world's diplomats. On behalf of the Diplomatic Security Service, I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to the New York Police Department, the United States Secret Service, the United Nations Department of Safety and Security, the U.S. Marshals Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations, and all our federal, state, and local law enforcement and emergency first responder partners for their excellent support and collaboration.
Our mission, working together, is to ensure the safety and security of all personnel, facilities, and operations. Together, we represent the finest law enforcement, security, and emergency response personnel the United States has to offer. And we will successfully create a safe and secure environment for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. At this time, I will now turn over the microphone to Mick Browne, the United Nations Department of Safety and Security Chief.
Michael Browne, Chief of Safety and Security Services, United Nations: Good morning, everybody, and welcome to the Headquarters District of the United Nations. My name is Mick Browne, as Brian mentioned, Chief of Security here at Headquarters. The UN Security and Safety Service is in advanced stages of preparation and planning for the high-level week of the 80th UN General Assembly, the annual and largest global gathering of heads of state and government.
In undertaking these preparations and in executing next week's complex and challenging security operation, we do so in close collaboration with our partners at federal, state, and city level. And we are most grateful to these agencies for the critical support provided to the United Nations. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to His Honor Mayor Adams for the outstanding support [of] city agencies, and in particular, NYPD and FDNY, [providing] to UN security, not alone during UNGA, UN General Assembly, but also throughout the year. Your Honor, we greatly value your department's collaboration and cooperation.
Question: Mayor, is the NYPD preparing any arrest warrants for heads of state, maybe on behalf of some foreign judicial body?
Mayor Adams: We welcome individuals here in this city, and we're looking forward [for] all of them being here. There's several heads of states I'm going to meet with, and I'm looking forward to meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu when he arrives in the city as well. He will be welcomed like our other dignitaries.
[Crosstalk.]
Question: I was wondering if you could elaborate that a little bit. How does this work? Like, under your administration, would the NYPD ever act in a way like that without federal partners, and why or why not? Can you explain the partnership a little bit and what would need to happen?
Mayor Adams: You know, it's extremely significant to know that the United Nations is here for a reason. And there's something called diplomatic immunity. And anyone that understands when you invite so many heads of state here, you want to do it [with] a level of security and with a level of understanding. [Where] you have a right to come here and voice the positions from your country. And we respect the rule of law here. We don't react in a reckless manner [by] stating that we were going to arrest a dignitary that's here. There are processes that are in place, and we will respect and we will carry them out accordingly.
Question: This is to Commissioner Tisch. Last week, you mentioned a heightened security in terms of the Jewish holidays, UNGA, 9/11, and it was an off-topic in the middle of an entirely different murder case in Queens. Was that something usual, or was that something heightened or different?
Police Commissioner Tisch: As I mentioned then, and I'll say again, this time of year, it's fairly typical to get a heightened number of threats into the NYPD for New York City. And as I've said multiple times, we have been and we [will] certainly continue over the next few weeks to be operating under a heightened threat in a heightened threat environment. That said, there are no specific credible threats to the United Nations General Assembly meeting at this time.
Question: For either the commissioner or the mayor, how are you advising New Yorkers about– street closings and when– things are going to be closed or shut down, either for demonstrations or for movement, so that– they're not seeing, there's generally no signage or anything like that. Avoid the street or that street or turn 10 blocks prior.
Police Commissioner Tisch: Yeah. As you know, as a lifelong New York City resident, I am myself as well, UNGA is very difficult for getting around the city in a vehicle. And so we do recommend New Yorkers use mass transit as much as possible, in particular our subway system. As I mentioned, there will be some permanent street closures for the duration of the event, but then there will also be more temporary street closures. Obviously, we have to take security of whoever the protectee is into account before we notify the public of certain closures. So for some to many closures, there will be no notice.
Question: I was wondering if you could clarify something you said yesterday at a press conference. You said, I'm not for boys going into the same bathroom with little girls. And I'm wondering, the Department of Education website says students must be provided with access to facilities consistent with their gender identity asserted at school. Could you just elaborate what you meant? Do you feel like there is distance between you and DOE policy?
Mayor Adams: Listen, I'm clear. I think that, and I also said at the press conference yesterday that we're going so far away from common sense. I don't support girls and boys using the same restroom. I don't support that. We're going to always respect how one identifies themselves. But my utmost importance is to ensure that when my children are in school, they're in there in a safe environment. And I do not believe a safe environment is allowing boys and girls to use the same facility at the same time.
Question: The DOE policy needs to change. Is that something you would like to see?
Mayor Adams: I'm going to dig into it more. If it permits young boys and young girls to share the same restroom at the same time, I'm going to look at my authority and power to change that. Let me finish. I don't believe that should happen. And I think that we have become so politically correct that we are incorrect.
Boys and girls should not be in the same restrooms at the same time. And I think the average parent, particularly if their child is a girl, would agree with me. And that is what I believe. And I'm going to look at exactly what the policy is. And if it's allowing them to be in the same restroom at the same time, I'm going to use whatever power I have to stop that.
Question: You don't have to dig in. It is what it is. The Department of Education says spaces like that should be segregated– that spaces are designed around gender identity versus designed around sex. That's the difference. You say they should be designed around sex. The Department of Education says it should be designed around gender identity. That's the difference.
Mayor Adams: And again, as I stated, I would dig in if it’s something that I have been dug into. I'm gonna dig into that. And then I'm going to find out from our legal team what's my authority. And if my authority allows me to alter that, I'm going to alter that. Boys and girls should not be in the same bathroom at the same time. And you stated that it should be around identity. That's not–
Question: [inaudible] education says that.
Mayor Adams: Education. You said that they stated it should be around identity. I don't have an issue with that. They can't be there at the same time. I go into restaurants and it says men and women could use the same facility, but we're not in there at the same time. So there's a difference to that. And that's what I'm going to find out.
Question: Mr. Mayor, we know that due to budget issues, many UN organizations are planning to move out of New York City. How would that impact the New York jobs and economy?
Mayor Adams: Well, we have more jobs in the city's history, more small businesses in the city's history. We dropped unemployment all over the city, but specifically in Black and brown communities. I'm seeing just the opposite. I'm seeing people coming into the city. This is a great, great place to work. One of the top locations for new grads because of our technology industry. I see just the opposite. We're moving in the right direction. Our economy has been the strongest it has ever been. This city is thriving and people are going to continue to come here. This is a great city to be, and we believe that's always going to be the case.
Question: The casino application for the east side here. Right next to the UN. Given the security briefing, does that make sense to you, having a casino practically adjacent to the UN?
Mayor Adams: Well, the final determination is going to be made by the governor, and we have one appointee on the various committees, but the governor will make that determination, and I'm sure they're going to factor in safety. They're going to factor in location. There are many things that's going into this, but the local elected will have an input on exactly what the next step is.
I think that we should not just allow what we saw yesterday. We should not allow parts of the city not to have the potential of having their application examined. We saw that in the City Council, that we vetoed the legislation and attempted to do so, and I think yesterday also we saw an example of something that could impact the economy. It was stopped at such a lower level. I think all of them should be reviewed by the governor's team to determine if they should move forward or not. This location as well. The governor and her team will determine that.
Question: I just wonder, we’re standing outside the mission to Turkey. If you were ever offered the position of ambassador to Turkey, that's been some rumor that's been out there. I'm wondering if that ever came up.
Mayor Adams: You know, I've said this over and over again. I'm going to continue to say it. I'm really disappointed [in] how rumors become these stories, and it has undermined my election. I keep [saying] that. You guys had me going to Saudi Arabia, even though I said I was never offered that. You had me going to HUD. I said I was never offered that. You had me going to the Yankee’s game to meet with the president. I said, here's my schedule. I'm not going there. You wrote it anyway. So, you know, it's just like, it doesn't matter what I say.
You have your own agenda, and the agenda is to undermine my campaign, and it has hurt [on] many levels. And, you know, I got to just push through and forge through all of the [] that's been printed and reported. You know, let me run for office like you're letting every other candidate run for office. I have an obligation to run the city and run for office, and I've been forthright with all of you, but it doesn't matter. Sensationalism and clicks is what we have turned into. I got a campaign to run. I'm going nowhere. I'm the mayor of the City of New York until the voters decide.
Otherwise, I'm going to continue to do so. I was not offered any position to go to Turkey, to eat Turkey, to do anything else. And so we need to, hopefully one day we can say that, you know, all of these rumors. Eric is stepping down on Friday. Eric is stepping down last Friday. I mean, what is the goal here? What is the real goal? And that's what voters have to ask themselves. Like, what is the real goal?
What are you guys really trying to do? Because you've been successful in undermining my campaign, but is there another goal that I'm looking at that I don't know about? So I got to continue to run with all of this madness that's going around. You know, next time we'll make sure that we move the press conference down the block and be in front of the mission to Saudi Arabia. Maybe I won't get the Turkish question.
Question: Mr. Mayor, any comments after a Texas man was arrested for allegedly making threatening calls to Mamdani?
Mayor Adams: Yes. The Queens DA made an announcement today. And, you know, there's almost a level of irony to this. Here you have a person who has spent his life bashing the NYPD, the desire to defund, the desire to say which assignments they're not on. We heard about this and they requested police detail. He has a full detail that's moving with him because they were concerned about his life.
And so when you see that irony, I guess that's why the word irony is in the dictionary, because there's something ironic about a person who called for protection for his life, but don't understand why we don't want to defund and disband our Police Department to protect everyday New Yorkers.
That is, you know, there's something ironic about that. And so the person who made the threat should be apprehended. And it just goes to show these officers carry out their job no matter who the individual is. And that's what– that is why we call [them] New York's Finest, because it takes a lot to get up every day.
No matter what people say about you, you're still willing to protect them. And he has that police detail because we don't believe anyone should be the victim of violence, but we also believe that we owe the debt of gratitude to our police personnel, and we should show them some respect as they do their job. Thank you.
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