News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Aug. 30, 2019: The New York Police Department is promising legions of police officers and checkpoints at this year’s Brooklyn Caribbean Carnival and J’Ouvert celebrations this weekend.
While the Carnival, run by the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, has been largely incident free in recent years, the pre-dawn event on Labor Day Monday,J’Ouvert, is headed up by an organization run by Yvette Renni.
J’Ouvert has been marred by violence for many years, including the murder of Carey Gabay, a former aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo who was fatally shot by a stray bullet in 2015 and the 2016 killing of Tyreke Borel, 17, and Tiarah Poyau, 22.
This year the NYPD, as it did in 2018, is again stepping up a security at both events, especially at J’Ouvert. Here’s what you should know:
1: Thousands of officers, according to the NYPD, will be stationed along the parade route in Crown Heights.
2: There will be more than 300 light towers, as well as cameras and 13 checkpoints to ensure the safety of festival goers.
3: Backpacks, large bags and alcohol will all be prohibited.
4: Despite the new marijuana laws, pot is still illegal and as such is prohibited as well.
5: J’Ouvert is slated to begin at 6 a.m. at Grand Army Plaza, then head south on Flatbush Avenue, east on Empire Boulevard, south on Nostrand Avenue and end at Midwood Street.
6: Expect revelers showering one another with powder, steel band music playing and the Jab Jab masquerade, where people dress as devils and paint their bodies in black oil.
7: The West Indian parade or carnival will start on Eastern Parkway near Schenectady Avenue at about 11 a.m., then head toward the Brooklyn Museum at Washington Avenue. Festivities officially end about 6 p.m.
8: The parade will bring lots of politicians vying for votes, different huge floats or trucks and mas bands featuring revelers dressed in colorful and creative costumes wining to Caribbean music. The route is lined with people while at various points along the routes there are vendors selling food, drinks and arts and craft.
9: It’s best to take mass transit. You can take the 2, 3, 4, 5, Q and shuttle trains to various points along the parade route.
10: Expect to be penned into various areas along the routes by police barriers so try to get their early and reserve your spot. See more at wiadcacarnival.org/
