Nassau County officials have called for a no-fly zone to be established over the T20 Cricket World Cup on Long Island following a social media post that depicted a hooded figure surrounded by drones at the stadium. The image included the words “Nassau Stadium” and the date of the upcoming match between India and Pakistan.
Nassau County was chosen to host one of cricket's biggest events last year and built a 34,000-seat stadium to host the event. Officials said they have been preparing for six months, both in terms of safety and health protocols. Nassau Police Chief Patrick Ryder said last week that there had been no credible threats, but images posted online appear to show people threatening spectators with drones, rifles and pipe bombs.
“When you have that many games and that many fans, it makes it all more believable,” Ryder said at a news conference in Mineola on Wednesday.
Ryder did not go further into the legitimacy of the threats but outlined the strict safety measures the police department has in place, including banning drones from parks where matches are held.
“If you try to fly a drone, we will identify it,” Ryder said, “we will come back to you and take it down. If you refuse, you will be arrested and the drone will be seized by the police.”
Ryder said no bags would be allowed inside the stadium and no one would be able to approach the stadium without a ticket.
“You can't just hang out in the park,” Ryder said. “This isn't a sport you watch from outside the venue. It's all watched from inside the venue.”
Officials said they also consulted with past Cricket World Cup host cities and local and federal law enforcement agencies.
“This is like a bolstered Super Bowl,” Nassau County Mayor Bruce Blakeman said. “We have all our medical professionals in place and the health department is dealing with any issues that may arise.”
