St. Paul police increasing patrols around synagogues amid Israel-Hamas war

Frederick Melo, Pioneer Press
·3 min read

St. Paul police say they’re increasing patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship amid calls for protest of the Israel-Hamas war.

Police are working with community and faith leaders, along with other law enforcement agencies, for “the support and presence needed to ensure people are safe this weekend,” said Molly McMillen, a St. Paul police spokesperson, on Friday. “There’s certainly a heightened awareness of what’s happening in Israel.”

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety said early Friday afternoon they are not aware of any “credible threats within our state at this time,” according to agency spokesman Howie Padilla.

“As is always the case, we are in communication with local agencies and at the ready to support them in any way needed,” Padilla said. He said people should report any suspicious behavior to emergency responders.

Minneapolis police said, for security reasons, they can’t detail their approaches to security around religious gathering places.

“The Minneapolis Police Department takes all threats seriously,” spokesperson Aaron Rose said in a statement. “We are closely monitoring the situation and we will respond accordingly.”

Spokespersons for Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul and the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul referred all questions to the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, which issued a statement Friday indicating its security professionals hold regular briefings with Jewish faith leaders and their security personnel to share best practices from law enforcement and security partners.

“Sadly, while Jewish institutions must always remain vigilant to potential threats, data shows that conflicts involving Israel frequently lead to increased antisemitism in the U.S.,” reads the statement, released by Rob Allen, the council’s Director of Community Security.

Some leaders of the Twin Cities Muslim community were also urging their members to be on alert Friday, given heightened tensions. As of mid-day Friday, the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said it had not received any direct reports of significant incidents.

“In Minnesota, we have had disproportionate attacks against Muslims since the election of Congressman Keith Ellison and then Ilhan Omar,” said executive director Jaylani Hussein, who has called for a ceasefire to fighting in and around Gaza. “Right now, nothing to report, but we want our community to absolutely be on high alert.”

Rabbi Zalman Bendet of the Chabad of Greater St. Paul said despite “heightened vigilance,” his relatively young Mendota Heights-based congregation had no plans to “cower in fear.”

“We are proud of what we stand for and who we are,” Bendet said. “When we fear and we panic, it only gets in the way of security. Terrorism is exactly that — it’s meant to strike terror into the hearts of good people, and we will not allow that to happen.”

In Mendota Heights, the Beth Jacob Congregation planned to continue with its regular calendar events for Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, a day of rest that runs from sunset on Fridays to sunset on Saturdays. Director of Building Operations Brian Millberg said while he could not comment on most details, heightened security measures were in place.

“We feel very comfortable with what we’re doing,” said Millberg, noting most synagogues live-stream services for members who wish to view from home. “One of the biggest things we do here is we greet every person who comes in the door. Our greeters are trained to look for specific signs if someone is not here for the right reasons.”

“The community is saddened by the need for increased security, because it hurts our welcoming atmosphere,” he added. “But we’re doing what we need to do, even though we don’t necessarily want to do it.”

Mara H. Gottfried contributed to this report.

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