Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 26 June 2023

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.

A Year After the End of Roe V. Wade, How Much Has Really Changed?

Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court officially overturning Roe v. Wade and returned the issue of abortion law to the states.

Analyst Comment:

As Reuters reports, the anniversary brought out activists on both sides. After the leaks about last year’s ruling, there was an increase in attacks on Faith-Based Organizations.  Due to the anniversary of the Dobbs Ruling, Faith-Based Organizations may see new attacks and would do well to increase prevention and protection methods.

FB-ISAO Partnered with Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence Program and released a report in April. The Alliance focuses on analytical reporting on Hostile Events, related to the Dobbs Ruling, that targeted Faith-Based Organizations.

FB-ISAO Partners with Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence Program – FB-ISAO (faithbased-isao.org)

Man dies after shooting in Meridian church parking lot (wdam.com)

A person was shot in a Mississippi church parking lot while allegedly trying to rob an off-duty law enforcement officer, who had his family with him. The alleged robber died at a local hospital.

Also, Fox 5 Atlanta reports an 18-year-old was found shot to death in the parking lot of a Georgia church.

WSB TV reports an antisemitic rally was held outside a Georgia synagogue. Cobb County police were there and called the protest peaceful, even as protesters and people who live in the neighborhood came toe to toe shouting in each other’s faces. “This was the most frightening thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” said Chabad of Cobb County member Stewart Levy.

ABC 24 reports that police are asking for the public’s help identifying the suspects caught on camera as they were breaking into cars and stealing one at a Tennessee church.

Analyst Comment:

Regardless of the threat, Faith-Based Organizations are reminded that a layered approach to security includes securing the parking lot.

Refer to:

Mitigating Attacks on Houses of Worship – Security Guide (cisa.gov)

Protecting Places of Worship: Six Steps to Enhance Security Against Targeted Violence (cisa.gov)