MIAMI – As the Israeli War escalates, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniela Levine Cava called for heightened levels of security.
On Thursday, Levine Cava spoke to Local 10 News, saying, “While our public safety teams are not responding to any individual threats in our area, we are partially activating the Miami-Dade Emergency Operations Center out of an abundance of caution.”
Miami Dade School Board officials responded to what one board member described as threats made on social media.
In Broward County, school officials said they too are on alert, but have not identified any credible threats.
The heightened alert also comes as pro-Palestinian protests are being planned around the world for Friday, including one in Miami’s Bayfront Park.
“It’s to remind the American public that to revenge the killing of civilians with the killing of civilians is inhumane -- it’s war crimes,” said pro-Palestinian protester Anas Amireh. “They’re going to be the spokesperson of these innocent people that are being slaughtered in the Gaza Strip.”
Amireh is a Palestinian-American living in South Florida, and he has family in the Gaza Strip who are currently being bombarded by the Israeli military in response to the mass murderous surprise attack from Hamas militants over the weekend.
The death toll since is already in the thousands and expected to rise.
“The last time we heard from them was two days ago,” he said of his family members.
Amireh condemns the murders of innocent people in Israel, but stresses that the killing of innocent Palestinians is not the answer.
“Neither side should be killed,” he said. “Neither side should die.”