Another Tragedy. So We Mourn and Remain Vigilant

I was joined at my office today by New York City Council Members and leaders of the Jewish Community in Brooklyn today in condemning this morning’s terror attack at a Jewish school in Toulouse, France, which left four people dead—three of them children—and at least five others wounded. My message of solidarity with the victims’ families and Jewish community of France was coupled with praise for NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly and his police officers.

Today’s tragedy in France touches every one of us. What kind of individual can walk up to a three-year-old, grab him by the hair and put a bullet in his head? You can’t educate people not to do things like like—you can only prepare for them.

We cry for the victims and their families. And at the same time we must express our gratitude to Commissioner Raymond Kelly and the NYPD who have done an exemplary job of keeping our streets safe from terror in the wake of September 11 and the random acts of terrorism that have followed worldwide. Those who criticize the Commissioner and the NYPD should be ashamed! We need more security, not less.

We’re working on something major. It’s clear that the government must step in and intelligence gathering can’t be restrained. There’s no guaranteed way to stop terrorists and maniacs from perpetrating their sick acts of violence, but there are certainly better ways of curtailing them, as our law enforcement officers have demonstrated quietly since September 11.