New York, – The Governor of the State of New York, Andrew Cuomo, announced on Sunday that will reinforce the presence of police forces around churches and temples in the region after the attacks perpetrated in Sri Lanka, which have died at least 207 people and 450 have been injured.
“After these despicable acts of violence and as a precautionary measure, I have asked the state police to increase patrols around the churches and temples today throughout the state,” Cuomo said in a statement to the press.
The governor wanted to express the condolences of all New Yorkers to the people of Sri Lanka and the relatives of the deceased, and assured that “cowardly acts of violence” will not intimidate the citizens of the state.
“Our thoughts are with the people of Sri Lanka, the deadly attacks on churches on Easter Sunday are both horrible and heartbreaking, we pray for you,” Cuomo added.
A series of attacks in Sri Lanka against four hotels and three churches has left 207 dead so far, while another 450 have been injured.
The first six explosions occurred simultaneously at 8.45 (2.30 GMT) in at least three luxury hotels in Colombo and also in a church in the capital, another in Katana, in the west of the country, and the third in the oriental Batticaloa.
Hours later, a seventh detonation took place in a small hotel about a hundred meters from Dehiwala Zoo, a dozen kilometers south of the capital, and the last in a residential complex in Dematagoda, also in Colombo.
In a country that is not used to violence against Christians, although it does clash between Buddhists and Muslims, these attacks coincide with the celebration of Easter Sunday, one of the biggest festivities of Holy Week (EFEUSA).
