The New York City Police Department is taking a hard look at its security protocols in light of the terror attack in France on Wednesday, in which masked gunmen stormed into the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical newspaper, and killed 12 people, including top journalists, cartoonists and two police officers, the New York Daily News reports.
There is strong speculation that the attack was retaliation against how the paper consistently lampoons “Islamic terrorists and the prophet Muhammad,” the New York Times explains, and since New York City has been a target for Islamic terrorists, the attack in France has the NYPD on alert.
“We’re monitoring the situation in Paris,” NYPD spokesman Lt. Thomas Antonetti said Wednesday, adding, “We’re assessing our response and our role.”
When asked if more police officers would be assigned to the French Consulate or other sensitive areas most susceptible to attacks, Antonetti said that “special coverage is still being assessed.”
President Obama released a statement condemning the attack and consoling those affected by the tragedy, the Times reports. “France, and the great city of Paris where this outrageous attack took place, offer the world a timeless example that will endure well beyond the hateful vision of these killers,” he wrote. “We are in touch with French officials, and I have directed my administration to provide any assistance needed to help bring these terrorists to justice.”
Read more at the New York Daily News and the New York Times.