-
Dec 29, 2007 11:25 am US/Pacific
-
Digg |
Facebook |
E-mail
|
Print
Political Protest Expected At Rose Parade
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) ―
There'll be the flowers, floats and crowds at this year's Rose Parade. There'll be something else, too -- political controversy.
Groups who say China has a poor human rights record plan to protest a float honoring the 2008 Beijing Olympics. They want spectators in Pasadena to turn their backs when it rolls by on New Year's Day.
Meanwhile, anti-war protesters, including "Peace Mom" Cindy Sheehan, plan to join as many as 1,000 supporters for a rally before and after the parade.
Pasadena police said they've got enough personnel on hand to deal with protesters and with hundreds of thousands of spectators.
The parade this year will feature 46 floats, 21 marching bands and 21 marching bands. The grand marshal is chef Emeril Lagasse.
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)