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On a Night That Celebrates Horror, It Came Close At Halloween Parade, a Thinner Crowd and a ‘Tense Environment’
(35 minutes later)
There are fewer sounds more defiant than beating drums.There are fewer sounds more defiant than beating drums.
And the drums beat on at the annual Village Halloween Parade in Manhattan on Tuesday night despite the attack that killed eight people less than a mile from the parade route hours before. Sayfullo Saipov, 29, drove a rental truck down the bike path along the Hudson River before hitting a school bus and then being shot by a police officer, officials said.And the drums beat on at the annual Village Halloween Parade in Manhattan on Tuesday night despite the attack that killed eight people less than a mile from the parade route hours before. Sayfullo Saipov, 29, drove a rental truck down the bike path along the Hudson River before hitting a school bus and then being shot by a police officer, officials said.
The attack, which authorities are calling terrorism, took place a little after 3 p.m. Around 7 p.m., the crowds of costumed characters gathered as planned and marched up Sixth Avenue. There were Wonder Women and Handmaidens, jellyfish and astronauts, a goldfish in a bowl, Day of the Dead characters and dinosaurs.The attack, which authorities are calling terrorism, took place a little after 3 p.m. Around 7 p.m., the crowds of costumed characters gathered as planned and marched up Sixth Avenue. There were Wonder Women and Handmaidens, jellyfish and astronauts, a goldfish in a bowl, Day of the Dead characters and dinosaurs.
Two longtime parade workers stood watching the crowd near Houston Street in the West Village, feet away from two heavily armed police officers.Two longtime parade workers stood watching the crowd near Houston Street in the West Village, feet away from two heavily armed police officers.
They had worked at the parade upward of a dozen years each, they said, and they agreed that while the performers were as exuberant as ever, the crowd of onlookers was somewhat thinner than in years past, and a bit muted. “It’s been quieter tonight, and there’s less of the general public showing up,” said Reneé Nicole Gray, one of the workers.They had worked at the parade upward of a dozen years each, they said, and they agreed that while the performers were as exuberant as ever, the crowd of onlookers was somewhat thinner than in years past, and a bit muted. “It’s been quieter tonight, and there’s less of the general public showing up,” said Reneé Nicole Gray, one of the workers.
“It’s more of a tense environment, but we feel safe because of the police presence,” said Ms. Gray, who wore a candy corn crown and a black skirt trimmed with tinsel ghosts. “They know what they’re doing.”“It’s more of a tense environment, but we feel safe because of the police presence,” said Ms. Gray, who wore a candy corn crown and a black skirt trimmed with tinsel ghosts. “They know what they’re doing.”
The other worker, Emily Stevenson, glanced at the police officers nearby, saying: “We work the parade every year. And the AK-47s are a new add-on.”The other worker, Emily Stevenson, glanced at the police officers nearby, saying: “We work the parade every year. And the AK-47s are a new add-on.”
Sgt. Carlos Nieves, a spokesman for the police stationed near the scene of the attack, said, “We usually have a large contingent, but added officers will be deployed to the parade in an abundance of caution.” Police officials declined to give the number of extra officers deployed. Sgt. Carlos Nieves, a spokesman for the police stationed near the scene of the attack, said, “We usually have a large contingent, but added officers will be deployed to the parade in an abundance of caution.”
Many performers and onlookers said they had lived through terror attacks before — on Sept. 11 in New York, at the Boston Marathon or in the recent Barcelona attack, in which a driver also plowed through a pedestrian area with a vehicle. Police officials declined to give the number of extra officers deployed.
Dominique Mayer said he had to drag his wife, Valerie, to the parade. They were visiting from Strasbourg, France, and had spent the day at the Statue of Liberty and the 9/11 Memorial, close to where the attack ended. Many performers and onlookers said they had lived through terror attacks before — on Sept. 11, 2001 in New York, at the Boston Marathon or in the recent Barcelona attack, in which a driver also plowed through a pedestrian area with a vehicle.
Mr. Mayer said they did not know what was happening when they started seeing helicopters swarming. “In France we have the same, in Germany. We live close to Munich,” he said. “It’s just one man, he can take his car. He doesn’t need bombs or guns. You just need a car or a knife. We have to manage this, we have to live with it.” He said his wife was “very nervous” when she saw the helicopters. “She wanted to go back to the hotel, but we decided to go.” Dominique Mayer and his wife, Valerie, were visiting from Strasbourg, France, and had spent the day at the Statue of Liberty and the 9/11 Memorial, close to where Tuesday’s attack ended.
Mr. Mayer said they did not know what was happening when they started seeing helicopters swarming. “In France we have the same, in Germany. We live close to Munich,” he said. “It’s just one man, he can take his car. He doesn’t need bombs or guns. You just need a car or a knife. We have to manage this, we have to live with it.”
He said his wife was “very nervous” when she saw the helicopters. “She wanted to go back to the hotel, but we decided to go.”
As a sanitation truck covered in mirrors drove by, Angela Ferraguto, who was dressed as Medusa, said, “Woo! A shiny garbage truck.”As a sanitation truck covered in mirrors drove by, Angela Ferraguto, who was dressed as Medusa, said, “Woo! A shiny garbage truck.”
Ms. Ferraguto said she was from Boston and had lived and worked on Boylston Street, near the site of the marathon bombing. “It was a hard week to live through. But I also think it’s important to — ” she said before being interrupted by the sound of a large group of drummers beating out an overpoweringly happy rhythm. Ms. Ferraguto said she was from Boston and had lived and worked on Boylston Street, near the site of the marathon bombing. “It was a hard week to live through. But I also think it’s important to — ” she said before being interrupted by the sound of a group of drummers beating out an overpoweringly happy rhythm.
“I didn’t want to miss this,” she went on.“I didn’t want to miss this,” she went on.
On Twitter, some criticized the decision not to cancel the parade, saying that the city should be holding a candlelight vigil for the victims, not a parade, but along the route people said the best way to honor the spirit of those whose lives had been claimed was to keep living.On Twitter, some criticized the decision not to cancel the parade, saying that the city should be holding a candlelight vigil for the victims, not a parade, but along the route people said the best way to honor the spirit of those whose lives had been claimed was to keep living.
Anita Durst, who wore a white wedding dress, had thought twice about going because she was the sole adult watching about a dozen 13-year-olds, classmates from the Blue School, a private school in Lower Manhattan. “And that really gave me the willies,” she said. “But the parents were O.K. with it.”Anita Durst, who wore a white wedding dress, had thought twice about going because she was the sole adult watching about a dozen 13-year-olds, classmates from the Blue School, a private school in Lower Manhattan. “And that really gave me the willies,” she said. “But the parents were O.K. with it.”
“Life has to go on.”“Life has to go on.”