NEW YORK – New York is planning to tighten security around the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in the wake of mass shootings elsewhere in the United States, police said Wednesday, emphasizing that there is no known, credible threat to the famed event itself .
The holiday tradition, which draws crowds of attendees and onlookers, comes this year two days after six people were killed in a shooting at a Walmart in Virginia, and four days after another shooting killed five at a nightclub gays in Colorado Springs. Also over the weekend, a man who allegedly threatened to attack a synagogue was arrested in New York’s Penn Station with a knife, a balaclava, a swastika patch on his arm and an associate, authorities said.
In light of these events, police “will deploy additional resources to ensure that celebrations across the city are safe for all,” New York Police Department counterterrorism chief Martine Materasso said at a news conference. of the parade. She said authorities had no indication of “any active, credible or specific threat” to the event.
By now the security measures are almost as familiar as the parade itself. They include heavy weapons teams, explosive sniffing dogs, a bomb squad, radiological and chemical sensors, drone detection, sand trucks and block vehicles, and additional cameras along the way.
Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette has promised the parade will be “bigger and better than ever this year,” starting at 8:45 instead of 9:00 to welcome all the balloons, floats , marching bands, music, singers, cheerleaders, clowns, Broadway cast and Radio City Rockettes. And, of course, Santa Claus.
New balloons this year include the animated sensation ‘Bluey’, Stuart the one-eyed Minion from ‘Despicable Me 2’ and the new green dinosaur and ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ balloons.
The largest characters measure up to 70 feet (21 meters) and have 50 handlers holding their strings, Matt Kaprielian, who supervises the balloons, said in an interview as they were inflated.
Seeing them up close was “a dream come true” for the young Sofía Correa Perea.
“They’re, like, huge!” she said.
Sam Lo and his family were also impressed as they watched the giant characters take shape.
“It’s wonderful, it’s the first time he’s experienced it live, in person,” said Lo.
