The gathering in the square was forbidden, but there were those who managed to celebrate in the area • Despite everything, the countdown tradition alongside performances by artists and a fireworks show took place as usual • Watch
Every year, crowds fill New York's Times Square for New Year's celebrations.
The crowd is crowded, the hottest artists of the period come to perform in front of the spectators in the square and on TVs and at home - and the famous fireworks show that accompanies the audience a moment after the giant disco ball ends its mission in the countdown to the new year.
The square is empty: New Year celebrations in Times Square in the shadow of the corona, tonight // Photo: Reuters
This year, like so many things in 2020, it all did not happen.
Almost, to be exact.
Instead of tens if not hundreds of thousands of people filling the square and the streets next to it in the New Year celebrations, this time everything happened in a particularly limited format.
The police forces who were at the scene deployed checkpoints in the area of the square to prevent people from gathering at the scene, but there were still some who managed to get close to the scene and celebrate, albeit in a more moderate way than usual.
Once the new year came in, some of them took care to keep old traditions - like a kiss or shouts of joy.
After last year on the city, during which more than 25,000 people died from the corona virus, they deserve this little pleasure.
Despite this, the police on the spot made sure to separate the celebrants to prevent mass gatherings.
New York City police did not want to take risks, and also sent patrol dogs and trucks full of sand to the area to try to locate explosives that may have arrived at the scene by terrorists.
In the end, as mentioned, they were not used at all, and that is a good thing.
The cops on the spot, along with the small crowd that stood outside the checkpoints, contented themselves with watching performances by artists like Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Gaynor, Cindy Laufer and Pitbull.
Despite the difficult year last year for New York, Mayor Bill de Bellasio tried to remain optimistic: "New Year's Eve will be especially happy. Goodbye 2020, here comes something better - 2021."