Pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade route on Thursday, prompting the New York Police Department (NYPD) to arrest multiple people.
Video footage from the New York Post shows a group of people sitting in the street at W. 55th Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan while a few people behind them held a sign that read, “Don’t Celebrate Genocide!” and “Free Palestine.”
The footage then shows officers in NYPD uniforms dragging the protesters off the street and handcuffing them with what appears to be zip ties.
The protesters blocked the Ronald McDonald balloon for about five minutes, according to the Post. After they were detained by police, the parade continued with the balloon line leader telling the audience, “Ronald McDonald, everybody!”
Newsweek reached out to the NYPD via email for comment Thursday morning.
Last year, over 30 demonstrators were arrested during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade after people protesting the war in Gaza jumped police barricades and glued themselves to the street.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned on Wednesday that the police would “be on top of” anyone planning to disrupt the parade again this year.
“And I really want to take the moment to tell those grinches that believe they’re going to disrupt the parade. It’s not going to happen,” he said during a briefing on Wednesday. “Just as we responded last year, we’re going to be on top of those who attempt to interrupt the parade in any way possible.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
