NEW YORK (VINnews)-New York Police Department officials are warning that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s public rhetoric targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is elevating the security risks surrounding the Israeli leader’s planned visit to the city next month, according to law enforcement sources.

Netanyahu is expected to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly and address the body on Sept. 26. Police sources told The New York Post that the visit will require substantial, presidential-level security measures because of the mayor’s repeated criticisms, calls for his arrest and encouragement of protests.

“Basically, he’s making what would be considered a Category 1 hurricane that we deal with every year into a Category 5 because of his words,” one law enforcement source said.

Mamdani, a vocal critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, has described Netanyahu as a war criminal who belongs in The Hague and declared him unwelcome in New York. In July, the mayor initially explored whether city authorities could enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu before acknowledging that the NYPD lacked the legal authority to do so. He subsequently urged supporters to “take to the streets” during the visit, citing protest as a bedrock of the city.

Police sources said officers will need to secure hotels, dining locations and other sites associated with the visit. The size of the protective detail has not been finalized but could involve 60 or more officers, far exceeding the typical assignment of one sergeant and eight detectives for most dignitaries.

Officials expressed concern that the mayor’s statements could embolden agitators. “What’s going to stop one of the protesters from becoming a vigilante and trying to hurt or God forbid kill him?” one source said. They also warned of risks to officers and the public, noting that protesters acting in what they believe is the mayor’s interest could lead to injuries or worse.

Sources pointed to earlier security challenges, including a bomb discovered outside Gracie Mansion in March involving two men allegedly inspired by ISIS, as a reminder of potential threats. A city government insider described the situation as a “powder keg,” linking Mamdani’s rhetoric to a reported rise in antisemitic hate crimes in the city.

Detectives Endowment Association President Scott Munro said the mayor’s comments “only fan the flames,” making protection of UNGA dignitaries more difficult. “It’s time for the mayor to do his — stand with the city and the men and women in blue protecting it, not with those on the radical protest line,” Munro said.

An NYPD spokesperson said the department will determine the size of the detail based on a threat assessment and will coordinate with the Secret Service, State Department and other federal agencies, as it does annually for foreign dignitaries.