After ISIS Threats, NYPD Will Up Security at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

NEW YORK CITY, NY — The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is reportedly planning to deploy extra security along the Manhattan route of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, after an ISIS magazine called on attackers to strike this year's parade.

The latest edition of the magazine, Rumiyah, which was issued over the weekend, called the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade an "excellent target" for attackers, prompting the NYPD to review threats ahead of the holiday festivities.

ISIS is encouraging attackers to use vehicles to carry out the attacks. The strategy mirrors the Bastille Day attack in Nice, France which turned a celebration into a night of horror when a terrorist drove a truck into a crowd and killed 86 people. To that end, the NYPD is reportedly in communication with truck rental companies, and is providing them with guidance on how to identify suspicious behavior.

"This is an element that we had factored into plans for the Thanksgiving Day Parade in years past," John J. Miller, the Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism for the NYPD, said Monday. "As you may recall from last year, the route was lined with hundreds of blocker cars at intersections."

The NYPD called the magazine's guide an "issue of concern." However, police officials do not believe any serious threats exist at the moment, and are aiming to quell any fears about potential dangers surrounding the event.

"Come to the Thanksgiving Day Parade, have a good time, bring the family," Miller said.

The 2.5-mile parade route starts at 77th Street in Central Park West. Marchers will travel south along the western edge of the park until they reach Columbus Circle. The parade then wraps around Columbus Circle and continues along the southern border of the park before shifting south along 6th Avenue. The finish line is at the intersection of 34th street and 7th avenue — at Macy's, naturally.

Lead image of Police Commissioner James O'Neill and Mayor Bill de Blasio via Patch