At the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, additional uniformed and plainclothes officers will keep a watchful eye over the giant balloons and millions of spectators.
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Sure the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a beloved NYC family tradition that appeals to people of all backgrounds. But Police Commissioner William Bratton said more than 2,500 officers would be stationed along the parade route for the Thanksgiving Day festivities – the largest number of officers the department has ever assigned to the event.
Officials estimate about 3 million spectators will line the streets of Manhattan to see the marching bands, musical acts and famed Rockettes.
President Barack Obama sought to reassure Americans they were safe to take to roads, trains and planes over the holiday.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday police had fine-tuned their response to a possible strike since the Sept 11, 2001, attacks in which the World Trade Center was toppled by two hijacked airliners.
“And we all know that what terrorists try and do is intimidate”.
Pamela and Tom Popp of Ridgefield, New Jersey told the AP they’ve come to the city every year for the parade for at least 20 years.
When WCBS 880’s Marla Diamond asked Pat Early what she enjoys about the parade, she said: “It’s the people on the side”.
Balloons handled by dozens of volunteers and bearing the images of Hello Kitty, Picachu, Ronald McDonald, Dino and characters from the new “Peanuts” movie made their way through downtown Manhattan and above the throng of parade-goers.
“I found that very regrettable, that a school district would give in to fear and cancel a trip”, de Blasio said.
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The event has been around for 89 years and has changed over the years: The giant balloons used to be let loose at the end – the finders of which were offered Macy’s gift certificates back in the day (this is no longer the custom).
