Knicks parade security in Canyon of Heroes will match New Year's Eve, former NYPD detective says
New York City's top officials are promising a robust security plan for the New York Knicks championship parade, which is expected to be one of the biggest celebrations in the city's history.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday they're hoping to avoid a repeat of the chaos and violence that ensued on Saturday night, when the Knicks won their first NBA title in 53 years.
Protecting a top terror target
With millions of people expected Thursday to line the famous Canyon of Heroes -- Broadway from Battery Park to City Hall -- security experts say the NYPD will have a counterterrorism overlay to protect the public because New York City is a top terror target.
"We will have a significant NYPD presence there," Tisch said.
"You have to be prepared whenever there's a large gathering of people for the safety and security of those people. And we want to make sure that we're building a parade that can really meet this moment in terms of how much it means to our city and also ensuring that we're taking every single step to keep New Yorkers safe," Mamdani said.
The mayor and commissioner said police will be out in full force for the parade, as both commended NYPD officers for their work Saturday night when 63 people were arrested.
"Over the weekend, there were seven shootings connected to Knicks-related celebrations across the city, along with assaults, vandalism, fires and stabbings," Tisch said.
In Times Square, dozens of people climbed on a row of yellow school buses that were used as World Cup shuttles, ripped off hoods, smashed windshields and even lit one on fire after the Knicks clinched the series against the Spurs.
New Year's Eve-level security
Counterterrorism measures that the NYPD has for New Year's Eve, the United Nations General Assembly and presidential visits will be in place along the route, dubbed "Champions Way," in addition to the expected complement of officers.
"They'll have helicopters. They'll have horses. They'll have dogs that detect explosive devices, things of this nature. They'll have undercover officers within the crowd to try to detect to see if there's anybody acting out of the norm," said Manny Gomez, a former NYPD detective and FBI agent.
Gomez said there will also be extra officers on the subways, since many paradegoers will be taking public transit.
"The transit lines run right beneath that parade," he said.
The NYPD is expected to activate its anti-drone squad and the Sanitation Department is expected to have trucks parked strategically along the route as additional anti-terror measures, according to Gomez.