The country’s largest pride march steps off on Sunday, and the NYPD says there will be more officers than usual at the event.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Mayor Eric Adams said Friday that hundreds of cops will be patrolling Manhattan’s march this weekend, which brings in paradegoers from around the world. Tisch said choppers and drones will also be flying above to patrol the parade, which steps off on Fifth Avenue at 11 a.m.
The NYPD said there are no credible current threats to the festivities, but that officer presence will be felt across the city.
“We are operating in a heightened threat environment and we have been for some time now,” Tisch said during a Friday press conference. “And for that reason we’re not doing things differently, but you’re going to see more of it. More officers, more sanitation trucks, more drones.”
Neither Tisch nor Adams specified the nature of the heightened threats, but alluded to ongoing fighting in the Middle East.
Tisch said that Washington Square Park will be a hub of police activity, and uniformed officers will be stationed throughout the public space.
Adams and Tisch also attacked parade organizers for not allowing officers in the Gay Officers Action League to march in the event.
“It is the height of hypocrisy that uniformed officers from G.O.A.L. are fit to line the parade route and keep everyone safe, but they are unable to march in their own uniform and under their own banner,” Tisch said. “That is in direct opposition to the inclusivity that the LGBTQ+ community has fought so hard for.”
But NYC Pride, which coordinates the event, said police are welcome to march in their uniforms and with banners, they just can’t bring their guns which are part of an officer’s dress uniform.
In a statement Friday, NYC Pride spokesperson Chris Piedmont said police were never barred from the parade, but the group’s membership voted to not allow anyone marching to carry a weapon.
“G.O.A.L. is welcome to march without weapons like every other contingent and we welcome them to join us as we march to protect trans youth, advocate for full equality and stand in proud defiance of the attacks our community is facing,” Piedmont said.
He said the parade and the G.O.A.L. group are still in talks.
The route runs from Fifth Avenue and 25th Street down to Eighth Street, then turns west to Greenwich Street and eventually heads back up north to 14th Street.
Aside from an increased police presence, the usual road closures that accompany the parade will be in effect starting at 7 a.m. Sunday. There will be no crosstown traffic starting at 11 a.m., and pedestrians will only be allowed to cross at certain points along the 1.8 mile march.
A full list of closures can be found here
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