NEW YORK — The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade officially kicks off the holiday season Thursday in New York City.
A a steady rain fell over the festivitiesand pro-Palestinian demonstrators briefly disrupted the parade for the second year in a row.
The NYPD said 25 people were arrested after sitting on the parade route carrying Palestinian flags and a banner reading “Celebrate no genocide.” They were all charged with trespassing and issued summonses.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP
Despite the dreary weather, CBS News New York’s Jenna DeAngelis reported that it didn’t get in the way of the magic.
“You feel it and forget about it, so we’re happy to be here,” said one person who traveled from Baltimore.
Linwood Burden, 72, came from Georgia to check the parade off his bucket list.
“I’m so excited to be here, the weather isn’t an issue,” she said. “Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be here, so this is an opportunity.”
Yuki Iwamura / AP
The annual holiday tradition stepped out of Central Park West at 8:30 a.m. and then marched down Sixth Avenue to Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square.
More than 5,000 volunteers were present, 34 fan favorite floats And 22 giant balloonsincluding some newcomers like Minnie Mouse and Marshall from ‘PAW Patrol’. A new float celebrated the Bronx Zoo’s 125th anniversary with a tiger, giraffe, zebra and gorilla.
There was also a performance by WNBA champion New York Liberty and of course the one and only Santa Claus.
“Just being here with the people I love, celebrating Thanksgiving with all these people, and I have to thank the NYPD for keeping us safe today,” said Nanuet resident Shane Cullen.
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
New York Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday that there were no credible threats against the parade, but law enforcement agencies would be prepared to protect people.
The city’s new police commissioner thanked the officers on duty on Thursday.
“I started my career as an intelligence analyst with the NYPD and there are great intelligence analysts working here,” Tisch said.
The parade has only been canceled three times: from 1942 to 1944 during World War II. The giant balloon figures are not allowed to fly when sustained winds exceed 37 km/h or gusts exceed 55 km/h, but winds remained around 16 km/h on Thursday morning.
After the parade, the Sanitation Department, using 32 hand brooms, 29 power brooms, 23 backpack blowers and 23 collection vehicles, conducted a rapid clean-up operation. Last year, more than 65 tons of rubble were removed.
