NEW YORK — THE Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade officially kicked off the holiday season on Thursday in New York.
A constant rain fell on the festivitiesand pro-Palestinian demonstrators briefly disrupted the parade for a second consecutive year.
New York police said 25 people were arrested after sitting on the parade route with Palestinian flags and a banner reading “Don’t celebrate genocide.” All were charged with trespassing and summoned.
Julia Démarée Nikhinson / AP
Despite the gloomy weather, CBS News New York’s Jenna DeAngelis reported that it didn’t hamper the Magic.
“You feel it and you forget it, so we’re happy to be here,” said one person visiting from Baltimore.
Linwood Burden, 72, came from Georgia to cross the parade off his bucket list.
“I’m so excited to be here, the weather is no problem,” she said. “Ever since I was a kid I’ve wanted to be here, so this is an opportunity.”
Yuki Iwamura / AP
THE annual holiday tradition got off at 8:30 a.m. from Central Park West, then walked down Sixth Avenue to the Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square.
It brought together more than 5,000 volunteers, 34 Fan Favorite Tanks And 22 giant balloonsincluding a few 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 an appearance 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 Shane Cullen, a resident of Nanuet.
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday that there was no credible threat to the parade, but law enforcement would be ready to ensure the safety of people.
The city’s new police commissioner took time Thursday to thank the officers who were on duty.
“I started my career as an intelligence analyst at the NYPD and I have incredible intelligence analysts working here,” Tisch said.
The parade was canceled only three times, from 1942 to 1944, during World War II. The giant balloons are not allowed to fly if sustained winds exceed 23 mph or if gusts exceed 35 mph, but winds remained around 10 mph Thursday morning.
After the parade, the sanitation department, using 32 hand brooms, 29 mechanical brooms, 23 backpack blowers and 23 collection trucks, carried out a quick clean-up. Last year, more than 65 tons of debris were removed.
Jenna DeAngelis
