By The newspaper
01 Jun 2024, 1:56 PM EDT
The traditional Israel Day parade on 5th Avenue in New York will be held without music and will have special security measures this Sunday, as it will be the first to be held since the war between that country and the Hamas terrorist organization began in October. It has left thousands of dead and tensions in international relations.
The New York police will provide additional security measures, similar to those used during the massive New Year’s celebrations in Times Square, considered a date of maximum alert in the city and which involves the closure of several streets and Subway stations.
Authorities said there were no credible threats to this Sunday’s parade, but they remain on alert. Even last November the traditional Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was interrupted by an anti-Israel protest.
Additional surveillance measures will include security checks and the use of wands to screen spectators. People will only be allowed on the east side of the route and police will be positioned on the west side of the parade.
Spectators who want to enter the parade can do so via Madison Avenue at five access points: 61st, 63rd, 66th, 70th and 73rd Streets East. The parade typically draws crowds and American and Israeli dignitaries, he noted. ABCNews.
At a joint press conference with the NYPD yesterday afternoon, Mayor Eric Adams emphasized the city’s commitment to a safe parade this weekend. “We wanted to show the unified force that we are not going to allow any illegality or disruption of any heritage celebration in the city,” he said.
The organizers announced that this year spectators will not experience music, bands and traditional joy. The message of the parade will be “Bring them home,” in reference to the hostages held by Hamas, eight months after the initial attack.
With New York being the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel and also the headquarters of the United Nations (UN), it has been the scene of constant protests and arrests since the war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas began on the 7th. October.
Days later, Governor Kathy Hochul made a “solidarity trip” to that country. Before leaving for Israel she stated: “Let me be clear: there is zero tolerance for hate of any kind in New York.”
Since October, the NYPD has responded to about 2,800 protests, an average of 12 demonstrations per day. Officers are often retained beyond the end of their shift to deal with these situations. This situation has been cited as one of the factors causing an exodus of police officers in NYC: more than 820 have left the department in the first five months of this year alone.