Hochul’s announcement came just days before the first match of the International Cricket Council’s World Cup is set to be held at Eisenhower Stadium in East Meadow.
Eisenhower Stadium will begin hosting World Cricket Cup games on Monday, June 3. They will last until Wednesday, June 12.
Though stating that “there is no credible public safety threat at this time,” the governor noted that the situation will be monitored and that the matches will see increased law enforcement presence, advanced surveillance, and thorough screening processes.
The increase appears to be a response to an ominous threat shared online by a pro-ISIS group, which NBC New York originally reported.
According to NBC, the image depicted the new Eisenhower Stadium and flying drones.
Highlighting Sunday, June 9 – the date of the highly-anticipated India-Pakistan game – the image reportedly included text that read, “You wait for matches and we wait for you."
The India versus Pakistan match is expected to garner a large crowd, both at the 34,000-seat stadium and with nearly a billion predicted to watch on television.
In a statement to NBC, former Homeland Security Advisor Michael Balboni said the image was likely posted to sow chaos and encourage followers to act.
Hochul reiterated that her administration has been working for months with law enforcement locally and federally, including the New York State Police Counter Terrorism Unit and New York State Police Troop L, which is based on Long Island.
“Public safety is my top priority and we are committed to ensuring the Cricket World Cup is a safe, enjoyable experience.”
Eisenhower Stadium will begin hosting World Cricket Cup games on Monday, June 3. They will last until Wednesday, June 12.
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