Mixed reports by U.S. and Iraqi intelligence about an alleged threat against the subways didn’t seem to faze most straphangers on Friday.
The riders said they’ve gotten used to the uncertainty when these warnings arise and usually don’t let speculation scare them.
“It can go either way. There’s not point in worrying about it,” said Rebecca Rosen, 30, a graduate student from Brooklyn.
Brianna Harrison, 26, of Astoria, said she noticed more officers than usual in Times Square in the morning. She said the police have done a good job with securing the streets and subways over the last few years.
“I already feel save in New York as it is,” she said.
Marten Johansen, who is visiting New York from Denmark, agreed. The 37-year-old, who is in the city for the fourth time, said he trusted the FBI’s assessment that there was no immediate threat and was confident that the U.S.’s intelligence agencies would make sure that the violence abroad doesn’t spread.
“It feels so far away, but I always feel safe in New York, more than I do at home,” he said.
Natasha Nightingale, 23, an English expat who’s been living in the city for four years, however said that she did have some concerns about the threat from ISIS. The Brooklyn resident said she got worried when she saw status updates on social media from friends back home who were reacting to the recent arrests of nine men tied to the terror group.
“It’s hard to say [if we’re safe] because it happened before,” she said. “You never know when the next thing is going to happen.”
