20,000 Chinese spectators attended the New York Veterans Parade: Without soldiers, there would be no America

107thnew york city Veterans Day Parade on the afternoon of the 11thManhattan At the stage, the procession started at Fifth Avenue and 26th Street and headed north to 45th Street. Thousands of people kept watching on the way. According to the organizer, Joint Veterans Committee, more than 280 teams and more than 20,000 people participated in the parade this year. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, and the parade pays tribute to those who have served for more than two and a half centuries and marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

That morning, a ceremony was held at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza next to the World Trade Center to pay tribute to the 9/11 victims who served in the U.S. military. Volunteers placed yellow roses where the victims’ names were carved, and also laid wreaths near the reflecting pool. US Navy Commander Carl Thomas in his speech recalled that after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, many young people chose to join the military. NASA astronaut and retired Navy Colonel Sunita “Sunny” Williams, who led this year’s parade and has flown multiple space missions, also spoke at the ceremony. Before the parade began, representatives of veterans, government officials, and military personnel laid wreaths at Madison Square Park. The honorary leader of this year’s parade was Navy veteran Vicki Bello.

Zohran Mamdani participated in the parade for the first time as mayor. He told ABC News the city has expanded services for veterans this year and support for them should continue throughout the year. On the same day, Mandani also posted on social platforms, City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Chinese-American City Councilor Phil Wong also attended the parade.

Gabe Mui, general secretary of the Chinese American Legion of New York, said this year the association marched with the Phalanx of the American Legion’s New York State chapter, with the entire team consisting of more than a hundred people. He said the weather was good that day and there were more spectators on the route than he had imagined. The atmosphere was warm and he was relieved to see so many people supporting the event.

About 40 to 50 people are participating in the “Glory of the Republic of China Association” this year. President Kang Guozhu said the Honor Society has been participating in the New York Veterans Day Parade since the 1980s. Mr. Rong, an 83-year-old member, served in the National Army Field Force for more than 20 years and immigrated to the United States after retiring in 1989. Looking back on his military career, he said that those days were “very difficult and valuable”. Now he comes to the parade almost every year to remember his former military life.

live nearbySugar Ms. Yu brought her 99-year-old father and 98-year-old mother to see. She said that although the family had never served in the military, they had met several times. She felt that the atmosphere was calmer this year, whereas last year was more lively, and she could feel more of the camaraderie between the veterans and the public. But the reason for their coming has not changed every time. “Without these giants, the United States would not be what it is today.”

During the march, the “Veterans for Peace” phalanx chanted slogans protesting war with Iran. Along the way, sporadic spectators held signs calling for an end to the war and protesting war with Iran. New York City attorney Jumaane Williams issued a statement the same day saying that Veterans Day originated with “Armistice Day” commemorating the end of World War I. He said the public could also affirm the courage of service personnel by protesting the war; The government should also provide practical assistance to soldiers after they return home. “The best way to honor veterans is to stop war.”