Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 11 June 2025

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters. 

Anti-ICE protesters vandalize Jewish-owned community center with antisemitic graffiti

Anti-ICE protesters vandalized Manny’s, a well-known community gathering space and café in San Francisco’s Mission District, early on June 6, 2025. The attackers smashed windows, spray-painted “Free Palestine” and “Shut Down ICE,” and left messages accusing Manny’s owner, Manny Yekutiel, of supporting Zionism and U.S. immigration enforcement. The incident occurred ahead of a planned event at the venue featuring U.S. Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens, sparking outrage among activists. Manny’s has previously faced protests due to Yekutiel’s pro-Israel stance, though it has also been recognized as an inclusive space for political dialogue. San Francisco officials, including Mayor London Breed, condemned the attack as anti-Semitic and an affront to free speech and community safety.

Analyst Comments: The targeted vandalism at Manny’s underscores a troubling intersection of political protest and antisemitic aggression, particularly aimed at Jewish-owned spaces perceived as supportive of Israel. This is not an isolated incident but part of a broader trend where political grievances are being redirected into attacks on community institutions, often conflating individual identities with state-level policies. The messaging used such as “No shelter for Zionists” reveals an intent not just to protest but to intimidate and exclude, blurring the lines between activism and hate-based targeting. This incident raises alarms for other civic and faith-based institutions that could be vulnerable amid escalating geopolitical tensions and domestic polarization.

Taking protective measures for businesses and places of worship is important. It is important to have physical security upgrades, community engagement, threat awareness training, crisis communication planning, and monitoring online of where protest may be occurring. Anti-Ice protests are expected to continue into this weekend, when widespread “No Kings” protests will also bring out big crowds. Any of these protests have the ability to harbor agitators and criminals who will look to take advantage of the chaos for their individuals gains. 

Pakistani National Extradited to Face Charges in Connection with Plot to Carry Out ISIS-Inspired

A 20-year-old Pakistani citizen, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, was recently extradited from Canada to the United States to face federal charges for allegedly plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at a Jewish community center in Brooklyn, New York. Khan is accused of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State and planning the attack around October 7, 2024, the anniversary of the Hamas assault in Israel. He communicated via encrypted messages with undercover agents, detailed his intentions to target Jewish communities using AR-style rifles, and even arranged smuggling plans across the U.S.–Canada border. His arrest in Canada on September 4, 2024, followed close cooperation between U.S. and Canadian law enforcement. U.S. officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Merrick Garland, emphasized that the plot was disrupted thanks to this collaboration and reaffirmed their commitment to combating hate-driven terrorism.

Analyst Comments: This case highlights how extremist ideologies can transcend borders, as Khan operated from Canada while allegedly plotting an attack in Brooklyn. His choice of date October 7, the anniversary of Hamas’s deadly assault on Israel signals an intent to align ideologically and symbolically with global terror narratives, seeking to amplify psychological impact and sectarian division. The plot’s disruption demonstrates the importance of international law enforcement collaboration, especially in the digital age where encrypted communications and cross-border coordination are central to terrorist planning. It also reinforces the ongoing necessity for vigilance and protective measures around religious and community centers amid rising antisemitic threats.

California Launches Heat Ranking Tool to Warn of Daily Risks

California has launched CalHeatScore, the first statewide tool in the U.S. designed to forecast and rank daily heat risks using a clear 0–4 scale where 0 signifies no elevated risk and 4 signals severe heat dangers based on ZIP-code‑level weather, health, and demographic data. Developed by CalEPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment in response to AB 2238 and recommendations from state officials, it provides local heat risk forecasts, safety advice, and directions to nearby cooling centers. Accompanying the tool, Gov. Newsom announced a $32.4 million investment to support 47 communities in adopting heat-mitigation measures such as tree planting, water stations, solar-powered air conditioning, and enhanced infrastructure under the state’s Extreme Heat Action Plan. This initiative responds to alarming data from 2013–2022, during which heatwaves caused nearly 460 deaths, over 5,000 hospitalizations, and around $7.7 billion in economic losses tragically exceeding fatalities from other natural disasters underscoring California’s priority to protect vulnerable residents amid rising climate threats.

Analyst Comments: California’s launch of the CalHeatScore tool marks a major advancement in public health preparedness amid intensifying climate conditions. By combining real-time weather data with community vulnerability indicators, the tool provides localized heat risk forecasts that help residents make informed decisions. This effort reflects a growing recognition that extreme heat is a deadly and costly hazard, particularly in underserved communities with limited access to cooling and healthcare resources. The state’s concurrent $32.4 million investment in heat resilience measures signals a shift toward proactive, equity-focused climate adaptation. As summers become hotter and more unpredictable, tools like CalHeatScore serve not only to inform but to save lives by helping agencies and individuals take timely precautions.

Resources to stay safe during summer heat:

• Extreme Heat
• Extreme Heat Safety

Crisis Comms: Talking Clearly When Ransomware Strikes        

Gate 15’s blog post emphasizes the critical importance of clear and well-planned communications during a ransomware incident. It begins highlighting the necessity of establishing a communication plan and detailing who needs to be informed, when, and how to reduce chaos during high-stress situations. Internally, the guidance stresses consistent messaging, structured updates to executives and employees, and careful record-keeping for post-incident reviews or legal needs. Externally, it recommends designating liaisons for law enforcement and regulatory bodies, clarifying insurance expectations, preparing alternative vendors, maintaining trusted intelligence-sharing partnerships, and actively monitoring media to counter misinformation.

The post includes trends form Gate 15’s Weekly Ransomware Report including increased OT targeting and attacks by groups like Interlock and Night Spire. It also offers a 10 % discount on ransomware exercises booked by September 30, 2025, and invites readers to subscribe to their resilience portal, GRIP.