Labor Day marks the 59th West Indian American Day Parade, bringing hundreds of thousands of spectators to the streets of Brooklyn.
With massive crowds expected for the largest Caribbean parade in North America, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch detailed security measures intended to prevent incidents like those that have occurred over the past two years. At last year’s festival, six people were shot.
“This is one of our department’s largest deployments of the year,” Tisch said at a press conference Friday.
Spectators will be screened by the NYPD at all 13 entry points along the parade route. Access will begin at 2 a.m.
Before the West Indian American Day Parade, the J’Ouvert festival — whose name means “daybreak” or “morning” — will run from 6 to 11 a.m. The celebration will travel along Empire Boulevard from Flatbush Avenue to Nostrand Avenue before continuing to Rutland Road.
The West Indian American Day Parade will begin at 11 a.m. and end at approximately 5:30 p.m. Eastern Parkway will be fully closed from Utica Avenue to Grand Army Plaza, along with all northbound and southbound streets feeding into the plaza.
Although Tisch said there are no known specific or credible threats, attendees should expect an increased police presence on and around Eastern Parkway.
Hundreds of police officers will be stationed along the parade route and in surrounding neighborhoods from Sunday night through Monday, she noted.
Prohibited items for J’Ouvert :
More information is available here.