The NYPD will be out “in full force” to protect the thousands expected to attend Sunday’s Israel Day Parade in Midtown, NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Friday.
“There’ll be more security at this parade than any other parade,” Tisch said on Fox 5’s Good Day New York Friday morning, adding that investigators have found no credible threats against the parade or parade goers.
New York’s Israel Day Parade is the “largest celebration of its kind outside of Israel,” said Tisch.
This is the second Israel Day parade since the Hamas terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Last year, more than 40,000 people turned out to be part of the celebration.
Former Gaza hostages are expected to march in this year’s parade down Fifth Ave., organizers said.
The NYPD is expecting pro-Palestinian demonstrations against Israel as the parade kicks off.
“We believe that we are prepared for anything that comes our way,” Tisch said.
Since the Hamas attacks, pro-Palestinian protesters have demonstrated on local university campuses and tried to interrupt other high-profile events in the city, including the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade and Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center.
On Thursday, eight people were arrested following a pro-Palestinian protest in Union Square Park. One of the protesters was arrested after he climbed a statue of George Washington and refused to come down.
“Some of the actions we saw [Thursday] will not be tolerated and won’t be accepted,” Mayor Adams said regarding the expected protests during a Friday press conference on parade security plans alongside Tisch at police headquarters.
“Last year there were a number of voices that stated we should not hold a parade, but we refused to succumb to those who want the city to live in fear,” Adams said.
A massive uniformed presence, police helicopters and drones will be seen throughout the parade route along Fifth Ave. in Midtown, which will be closed at various points. Major arteries to the parade route will be blocked with barricades and sanitation trucks.
Every person coming to the parade route will be screened, Tisch said at Friday’s press conference.
“We will not tolerate any attempts to disrupt this event or endanger those who come to celebrate,” she said.
