Safeguarding soft targets against diverse threats poses multifaceted challenges, demanding a nuanced security ecosystem that avoids complete hardening strategies. It delves into the dynamic realm of i-threats, emphasizing their challenge to security systems, and introduces the concept of “Phygital,” merging physical and digital experiences in modern consumer realms. Addressing the unpredictability of crimes or terrorist acts, the research stresses understanding i-threats targeting public spaces. It highlights the evolution of security threats from traditional to cyberspace-driven, prompting innovative policing approaches. The study underscores technology’s integration into policing for i-threat management, proposing a taxonomy for machine learning-based predictive policing. It explores social media’s role in propagating information and technology-enabled intelligence for faster responses. Within the H2020 APPRAISE project, the MARPLE platform integrates physical and cyber sensors, machine learning, and video analysis tools, empowering law enforcement against potential i-threats to soft targets. This work advocates proactive policing, emphasizing challenges posed by i-threats and the importance of understanding symbolic messages and hate speech to bolster security for public spaces and events.