After recent alerts from the FBI, Homeland Security and the State Department, the NYPD on Wednesday promised tight security at large events. The aforementioned agencies have cited messages from terrorist organizations like ISIS that call for attacks on soft targets in the LGBTQ+ community.

The heightened alert comes a week before the eighth anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida, which left 49 people dead.

“What should be a time for joy and celebration is also a reminder this month of all the evil that exists in this world,” said NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban.

Police have stressed that there is no credible threat to any event or for the city overall, but they continue to monitor chatter and provide heavy security — some of which will be apparent, and some that won’t be.

“We’re going to be hyper-focused, we’re going to be highly visible, we’re going to be working to make sure our community is safe,” said NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey.

At Wednesday’s security briefing, the police department detailed a map of upcoming high-profile events, including the Brooklyn Pride Parade on Saturday. It is among the events leading up to the New York City Pride March on Fifth Avenue, which will feature 50,000 marchers and scores of spectators, and Pridefest on June 30.

“We are not concerned, we are going to keep this city and its celebrations safe over the next three weeks as we do every other day of the year,” said Rebecca Ulam Weiner, the deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism for the NYPD.

Police are also asking the public to make sure to report any threats, so they can investigate and take action if necessary. 

The alert is titled “Foreign Terrorist Organizations and their Supporters Likely Heighten Threat Environment during 2024 Pride Month.” Pride Month celebrations typically take place during the month of June.

The alert said foreign terror groups, specifically referencing ISIS, could target LGBTQIA+-related events and venues with the aim to “commit or inspire violence.”

The alert did not specifically reference New York City, which hosts some of the largest Pride events in the world. The alert also did not say the New York area was a target. Federal authorities said they put out the alert to make sure residents remain vigilant.

“It’s an alert for people to be aware of their surroundings, that there may have been some chatter on various sites talking about targeting LGBTQ communities, not just here but around the world,” said Terry Monahan, the former NYPD chief of department.

Organizers of NYC Pride said this year’s celebration will be just like any other — full of joy, color and music. But NYC Pride organizers said they are aware of the alert and paying attention.

“We will do what we always do, which is work with law enforcement and our private security to make sure this is as safe as possible,” NYC Pride’s executive director, Sandra Perez, told NBC New York. Pride organizers said they will move forward with all their events as planned but will do whatever it takes to keep attendees and participants safe.

The warning specifically makes note of the eighth anniversary of the deadly Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando coming up on June 12. Federal authorities said pro-Isis messaging has praised that attack as something to be celebrated.

“I think it’s always going to be scary for us as queer folks, you know, just in New York City and around the world,” said Pride performer Mike Baerga. “No threat is going to hold us back from really enjoying ourselves and celebrating.”

The alert warns Pride participants to be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity or behavior to law enforcement.

The NYPD said it’s ready to protect events around Pride this summer and released a statement:

“The New York Police Department provides a significant and complex counterterrorism overlay to the events and celebrations around Pride month each June in New York City. The department’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau also closely monitors all relevant streams of intelligence, in real time, as they relate to foreign terrorist groups or domestic violent extremists. The NYPD remains ever-ready and ever-vigilant in protecting New Yorkers and the vast array of events around Pride month every year. The NYPD takes the safety of all of our communities extremely seriously and will ensure a safe Pride month for all.“

Patrick Murphy, 25, of Denver, is facing a hate crime charge for the June 10 incident when about 60 flags were torn down from the fence, broken apart and thrown on the sidewalk.

The NYPD released surveillance video allegedly showing Murphy and two other suspects in the area of the monument on the night of the crime.

Investigators say they are looking into two other incidents during Pride Month. Similar crimes occurred on June 15 and 18, when again several flags that had been displayed were broken and torn down across the street from the Stonewall Inn — a place many consider to be the birthplace of the gay rights movement.

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The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force has been investigating all three incidents.

Each of the incidents came as the Human Rights Campaign, the largest advocacy organization of its kind across the nation, declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. It’s the first time in its more than 40-year history that the group has made such a declaration, pointing out the rise of legislation in statehouses around the country directed at regulating the lives of queer people.

Playbill Magazine and the Time Square Alliance announced their “Pride in Times Square” collaboration on a celebration of Pride at the Crossroads of the World. Together, the groups will host a series of free events Saturday and Sunday.

The weekend’s festivities include Broadway productions, Pride Piano Bar sessions, live DJ sets, a Drag Pride celebration, and the return of last year’s “The Big Broadway Disco.”

A new addition to the event line up this year is the “Anthems of Pride” concert. Hosted by award-winning actor and singer Tituss Burgess, the show will feature cast members from over 20 long-running classics and new smash-hit productions.

Then, on Sunday, the Playbill Pride Float returns to the NYC Pride March, supporting their partner Heritage of Pride. The Pride March participation helps to round out a weekend of diversity, equity, education, and celebration.

Attendees can also enjoy:

1. Pride Main Stage: The main stage will feature a rotating roster of groundbreaking performances, including Anthems of Pride on Friday and the NYC Gay Men’s Chorus on Saturday
2. Big Broadway Disco: A large-scale street party that invites revelers to dance through Times Square to classic and contemporary Broadway songs and performances
3. Pride Piano Bar Stage: Audiences will be able to take photos with the one-of-a-kind designed piano, and stay for piano sing-along performances and concerts led by top-Broadway musicians and performers

In the latest incident, nearly three dozen flags were found broken or stolen around 8 a.m. Sunday morning, according to police.

It comes after other recent and troubling acts of vandalism during Pride Month. The first incident occurred on June 10, in which neighbors in the area discovered about 60 Pride flags torn down from the fence, broken apart and thrown on the sidewalk.

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Police released images of alleged suspects in that incident. The group of men was seen in the area after the flags had been vandalized around 3 a.m. Saturday. They were last seen heading east on Waverly Place.

Then on 1 p.m. on June 15, officers responded to another call reporting vandalism, when again several Pride flags that had been displayed were broken and torn down across the street from the Stonewall Inn — a place many consider to be the birthplace of the gay rights movement.

The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force was said to be looking into the incidents, but investigators are not considering the three incidents at the LGBTQ+ memorial to be connected.

There is also an investigation into two teenage suspects that were seen on camera ripping down and stealing a Pride flag in Queens, damaging the fixture attached to the front of the Fresh Meadows home where it had been hung. Police said the incident occurred Tuesday near 190th Street and 75th Avenue.

Richard Marzullo, the homeowner, said he can’t believe the flag is gone, saying it’s the first time vandals have actually taken the whole thing. He shared video from 2022 in which someone wearing all black took down the flag and threw it to the ground, as well as a group in 2021 running away after vandalism.

“A lesson needs to be learned, this is likely to keep happening if nothing else happens,” said Marzullo.

The search for the suspects in that incident is ongoing, and police said both are facing potential hate crime charges.

Each of the incidents come as the Human Rights Campaign, the largest advocacy organization of its kind across the nation, declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. It’s the first time in its more than 40-year history that the group has made such a declaration, pointing out the rise of legislation in statehouses around the country directed at regulating the lives of queer people.

Around 1 p.m. Thursday, officers responded to a call reporting a second act of vandalism in the span of a week at the park where the Stonewall National Monument is located in the West Village. Police said that several Pride flags that had been displayed were broken and torn down across the street from the Stonewall Inn — a place many consider to be the birthplace of the gay rights movement.

It came after neighbors in the area discovered about 60 Pride flags torn down from the fence, broken apart and thrown on the sidewalk Saturday morning.

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Police released images of alleged suspects in the prior incident earlier in the week. The group of men was seen in the area after the flags had been vandalized around 3 a.m. Saturday. They were last seen heading east on Waverly Place.

Investigators are not considering the two incidents at the LGBTQ+ memorial to be connected.

There is an investigation into two teenage suspects that were seen on camera ripping down and stealing a Pride flag in Queens, damaging the fixture attached to the front of the Fresh Meadows home where it had been hung. Police said the incident occurred Tuesday near 190th Street and 75th Avenue.

Richard Marzullo, the homeowner, said he can’t believe the flag is gone, saying it’s the first time vandals have actually taken the whole thing. He shared video from 2022 in which someone wearing all black took down the flag and threw it to the ground, as well as a group in 2021 running away after vandalism.

“A lesson needs to be learned, this is likely to keep happening if nothing else happens,” said Marzullo.

The search for the suspects in that incident is ongoing, and police said both are facing hate crime charges.

The NYPD said that the Hate Crime Task Force is now investigating each of the incidents. it also comes as the Human Rights Campaign, the largest advocacy organization of its kind across the nation, declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. It’s the first time in its more than 40-year history that the group has made such a declaration, pointing out the rise of legislation in statehouses around the country directed at regulating the lives of queer people.

Neighbors in Manhattan’s West Village discovered about 60 Pride flags torn down from the fence, broken apart and thrown on the sidewalk Saturday morning.

“I come almost daily to replace any missing flags on the fence. And then I witnessed the act of vandalism,” said Steven Love-Menendez, who volunteers his time replacing the occasional lost flag since the area around Christopher Park and the famous bar became a national monument in 2016.

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But Love-Menendez said he’s never seen damage at this level, though.

“This is the heart and soul of the LGBTQ movement. And this flag display is meant to show hope for the future and honor those who fought for our rights before us,” he said.

On Monday, the NYPD released images of alleged suspects in the case. The group of men was seen in the area after the flags had been vandalized around 3 a.m. Saturday. They were last seen heading east on Waverly Place.

“It’s just the latest attack on our community. The latest piece of aggression against our community. Right by The Stonewall. It hurts, it hurts badly,” said NYC Councilmember Erik Bottcher, who added that the community will not be intimidated. “We are not going to be afraid. We are not going to be cowed. We are not going to let them do this to us during Pride month. And they will be held accountable for it.”

While there were still some pieces of broken flags on the ground on Monday, each damaged flag had already been replaced with a new one.

The NYPD said that the Hate Crime Task Force is now investigating.