Bronx Dominican Parade Turns 37, Organizers Decry Police Limits

The Gran Parada Dominicana del Bronx celebrated its 37th anniversary on Sunday with a parade along the Grand Concourse in New York City. More than 40 community, cultural, civic and sports groups took part, featuring 29 official floats and honoring several Dominican personalities, including businessman Roberto Rojas, several honorary marshals and godmothers such as Vickiana.

Organizer Felipe Febles said the event faced heavy police restrictions, stating “Quieren acabar con nosotros. Primero, el alcalde y la Policía están juntos.” He reported that roughly 2,000 officers were deployed, that the number of floats was reduced from the planned 53 to 32, and that fences limited public participation. Febles added, “Ellos querían que solamente entraran las carrozas y que la gente no participara en el desfile; sin embargo, las personas entraron como quiera y disfrutaron de la actividad,” and noted that some entrepreneurs could not distribute promotional items because of the restrictions.