NEW YORK — The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade formally kicked off the vacation season Thursday in New York Metropolis.
A regular rain fell over the festivities, and pro-Palestinian demonstrators briefly disrupted the parade for a second yr in a row.
The NYPD mentioned a25 folks had been arrested after sitting down on the parade route with Palestinian flags and a banner studying, “Do not Have fun Genocide.” All of them had been charged with trespassing and obtained summonses.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP
Regardless of the dreary climate, CBS Information New York’s Jenna DeAngelis reported it did not get in the best way of the magic.
“You are feeling it and neglect about it, so we’re blissful to be right here,” mentioned one one that traveled from Baltimore.
Linwood Burden, who’s 72 years previous, got here from Georgia to test the parade off his bucket checklist .
“I am so enthusiastic about being right here, the climate’s no drawback,” she mentioned. “Ever since I used to be a child, I wished to be right here, so this is a chance.”
Yuki Iwamura / AP
The annual vacation custom stepped off at 8:30 a.m. from Central Park West, then marched down Sixth Avenue to Macy’s flagship retailer at Herald Sq..
It featured greater than 5,000 volunteers, 34 fan-favorite floats and 22 large balloons, together with some newcomers like Minnie Mouse and Marshall from “PAW Patrol.” One new float celebrated the Bronx Zoo’s a hundred and twenty fifth anniversary with a tiger, giraffe, zebra and gorilla.
There was additionally an look from the WNBA champion New York Liberty and, after all, the one and solely Santa Claus.
“Simply being right here with the folks I like, celebrating Thanksgiving with all these folks, and I’ve to thank the NYPD for protecting us protected at present,” mentioned Nanuet resident Shane Cullen.
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch mentioned Wednesday there have been no credible threats towards the parade, however regulation enforcement businesses can be ready to maintain folks protected.
Town’s new police commissioner frolicked Thursday thanking the officers who had been on obligation.
“I began my profession as an intelligence analyst on the NYPD and have unimaginable intelligence analysts working right here,” Tisch mentioned.
The parade has solely been canceled thrice — from 1942 to 1944 throughout World Struggle II. The enormous balloon characters should not allowed to fly if sustained winds exceed 23 mph or gusts are over 35 mph, however winds stayed round 10 mph Thursday morning.
Following the parade, the Sanitation Division, utilizing 32 hand brooms, 29 mechanical brooms, 23 backpack blowers and 23 assortment vehicles, performed a swift cleanup. Final yr, it eliminated greater than 65 tons of particles.
