Every year, millions gather in the streets of New York as well as around their TV sets to see the November tradition of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It will be doing its 89th anniversary this year, which means that there is a lot in store like new floats and celebrity guest stars. For those that have some safety concerns, it should be known that the city of New York is addressing them. There are also options for watching at home and online.
Yahoo News reports that the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) released a video showing images of New York juxtaposed with a scene depicting a suicide bomber preparing for an attack. Considering that it has been over a week since the Paris attacks, it is understandable why spectators and parade participants are very nervous about visiting the Parade.
However, New York City officials have a response against such hesitation and fear. Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke at a public event on Thursday, saying: "Do we want to play their game? Do we want to give in to them?" Police Commissioner William Bratton said something similar when he said: "Celebrate, be aware, but do not be afraid. The NYPD will protect you".
We have reported before how Bratton has "no concerns about security" and an additional 1,300 officers who are assigned to counterterrorism-related units will be dispatched to the parade. As a sign of his assurance of safety at the parade, Bratton said that he will be watching the event with his grandchildren with him.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the launch of an application that will allow New Yorkers to report suspicious activity by sending photos or text messages from mobile devices to the state's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
For those that are planning on actually being there at the parade this coming Thursday, you should plan accordingly. It stretches from 77th Street and Central Park West to Herald Square, so traffic will be very bad around that general area. You can click here to see the particulars of the parade route as well as information about the new floats, celebrity guest stars, and bands participating this year.
There doesn't seem to be any official news about Live Streaming of the Parade or How to Watch Online. There is a camera at EarthCam that is set up to show the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade at Columbus Circle, and there might be more information posted on NBC's official Macy's Thanksgiving Day page as the event gets closer.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade at home will also air on NBC from 9 AM to 12 PM, and that is both Eastern and Pacific Time. That means that it should be on at the same time no matter where you are in the United States. It will be hosted by the TODAY Show's Matt Lauer, Al Roker, and Savannah Guthrie. You can watch the live stream on NBC.live or Macy's website.
