The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is one of the biggest security events in the U.S., with thousands of world leaders and their teams coming to New York each year. CNN and some other media were allowed inside two important security rooms at the UN headquarters. They walked through long hallways to reach these rooms.
Inside, there are large walls of monitors showing footage from 1,400 cameras all around the UN grounds. These cameras are placed in many spots, watching doors, hallways, driveways, and the garage. UN security says it’s impossible to watch all the cameras at once, but people are assigned to check the footage.
If someone has trouble using their pass to get in, an alarm goes off in the security rooms, and a voice repeats, “Rejected! Rejected! Rejected!” It’s a joint effort between the UN, New York Police, Secret Service, and diplomatic security to keep everyone safe. This year, over 22,000 delegates attended.
The security teams also manage motorcades, driving leaders from their hotels to the UN and back, which causes traffic in the city. Some leaders visit places like the New York Stock Exchange or meet with people who live in the U.S.
Even though the UN is sometimes criticized, security is always ready to handle any threats. For example, last year, a woman in a “psychiatric episode” refused to leave her car outside the UN entrance. In 2002, a postal worker jumped the fence and shot at the Secretariat building, but now the fence is taller. UN security’s main job is to keep everyone safe, and so far, they’ve been successful.
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