NEW YORK– The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade today officially marks the start of the holiday season 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 about 25 people were arrested after sitting on the parade route carrying Palestinian flags and a banner reading “Celebrate No Genocide.” They were taken into custody without incident and charges are pending.
New York Mayor Eric Adams and the new police commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday that there were no credible threats against the parade, but The police were prepared to protect people.
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.
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.
It with 22 balloonsincluding some newcomers like Minnie Mouse, Spider-Man and Marshall from ‘Paw Patrol’. There were also 34 floats11 brass bands and a performance by the WNBA champion New York Liberty. A new float celebrated the Bronx Zoo’s 125th anniversary with a tiger, giraffe, zebra and gorilla.
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.
Now it’s time for the Sanitation Department to start the cleanup, using 32 hand brooms, 29 power brooms, 23 backpack blowers and 23 collection carts. Last year they removed more than 65 tons of rubble.
Stay tuned to CBS News New York for more highlights of the parade and holiday celebrations in the area.
