San Francisco

Celebration, Unity and Increased Security for Chinese New Year Parade in SF

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The Chinese New Year Parade, one of the biggest attractions of the Lunar New Year in San Francisco, will return Saturday night after a pandemic hiatus.

Celebration, unity and increased security will be part of the festivities.

As organizers get the floats ready for the Year of the Tiger celebration, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are ready to step out in the parade again as well.

"We’re super excited about coming out, especially with all the attacks against Asians," United Peace Collaborative founder Leanna Louie said. "We are here to let people know that, 'Hey, we’re here. We’re not invisible. We have a voice.' And we want to show people that we’re going to be out here and we’re not scared to come out."

Many Asian and other minority community groups will join together in the parade under the name "We Are One."

The Chinese New Year Parade, one of the biggest attractions of the Lunar New Year in San Francisco, will return Saturday night after a pandemic hiatus. Robert Handa reports.

They will also augment the heavy police presence with unique security arrangements of their own.

"We will have martial artists walking with us, also people trained in self-defense that will be able to step into action if anything happens while we’re walking," said Archbishop Gary Richardson, a "We Are One" co-chair. "Of course, we do know how to communicate with the parade personnel to alert them of any problems that may occur."

But the group said, above all, it'll be a celebration.

"I would like people to be happy, be very joyful and be loving," Louie said. "I want them to come out here and just enjoy this parade.”

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