On March. 2, Governor Hochul gave a speech on the ongoing conflict in Iran and claimed that the safety of New Yorkers is her main focus while also questioning the President’s decision to enter into this conflict.
After the recent events in Iran, some New Yorkers are growing concerned about possible retaliation or inspired violent acts in the U.S.
Hochul said she is to start practicing “an abundance of caution” by getting sensitive locations protected, such as places of worship for Jewish and Muslim communities, or other places of gathering. Around the Capitol, already law enforcement and officials have been seen carrying automatic rifles for safety precautions
On the way to secure these protections, Hochul said, “I directed that my intelligence communities, my cyber experts here in the State of New York, coordinate with local law enforcement as well as federal law enforcement…to keep locations secure.”
Amid more anxieties for Iranian and Jewish Communities in New York, Hochul said, “We will continue to ensure that you belong here and that you feel that the State of New York is doing everything we can to protect you.”
Hochul affirmed that the state will not tolerate hate towards these communities, before moving on to discuss President Trump’s claims on the conflict.
“This has been described by the President as the largest military offensive the world has ever seen. So, what is the objective here?” Hochul said.
On Feb. 28, Trump announced beginning what he called “major combat operations in Iran,” in his announcement. Since then, the U.S. has supported Israeli attacks on Iran, notably killing their leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini.
To comment on the operations, Hochul said, “Is this going to return to a time of the endless wars that Americans are so tired of?”
“We’ve seen wars launched with promises of swift impact and swift closure. So we just want to make sure that this is done right… This is a consequential moment for our country,” she noted in comparison to previous wars the U.S. has been involved in.
One of the consequences that are most immediate for New Yorkers are energy costs, the Governor said. The raise in these costs comes from the halt of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz located in the Persian Gulf, between the countries of Iran and Oman. Tankers that carry oil to around a fifth of the world have been halted since the conflict began.
Commenting on the halt, Hochul said, “It’s going to have a direct effect on the pump right here in New York State, probably in a matter of days, if not hours, as New Yorkers are going to again see the impact of these decisions outside their own controls.”
While questioning the decision of President Trump to enter this ongoing conflict, Hochul’s main focus is to ease the anxieties of New Yorkers now that they will be impacted by this decision, she said.
“We just want honest, steady leadership and to understand that Americans are tired of wars and they do not see how this keeps them safer, which is again my number one priority,” she added.
