NEW YORK (NEWSnet/AP) — Confetti has been tested for airiness. The giant numerals, 2-0-2-4, are in place. And the luminous ball, bedazzled in 2,688 crystal triangles, is fixed to the pole from which it make its 60-second descent at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 31.
With throngs of revelers set to usher in a new year under the lights of Times Square, officials and organizers say they are prepared to welcome the crowd and ensure safety.
At a security briefing on Friday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said there are “no specific threats” to the annual New Year’s Eve bash, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of people to the heart of midtown Manhattan.
The celebrity-filled event features live performances from Flo Rida, Megan Thee Stallion, LL Cool J and televised appearances from Cardi B and others.
Organizers said in-person attendance is expected to return to pre-pandemic level.
Amid frequent protests in New York sparked by the Israel-Hamas war, police said they will expand the security perimeter around the party, creating a “buffer zone” to curtail potential demonstrations.
Pro-Palestinian marches have disrupted recent events in New York, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the ceremonial lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree.
During the 2022 New Year’s Eve party, a machete-wielding man attacked three police officers a few blocks from Times Square.
“We will be out here with our canines, on horseback, our helicopters, our boats,” Adams said. Officials will also monitor protests with drones, he said. “But as we saw last year, after having no specific threats we get a threat."
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