BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (LEX 18) — The people of Bowling Green, Kentucky will no longer have their annual Christmas parade Saturday amid rumors of violent threats.
A post was made on the Bowling Green KY Jaycees Christmas Parade Facebook page just after 5:30 p.m. announcing the cancelation.
The post reads in part, "Out of an abundance of caution, we are canceling today’s parade. The safety of our participants and spectators is always are main focus."
WNKY, the NBC affiliate in Bowling Green, reports this cancelation is happening ahead of the scheduled Emmett Till protests Saturday.
Local law enforcement received reports of rumors of potential violence against protestors in Bowling Green today.
The Bowling Green Police Department released a video on its Facebook page last night with both Bowling Green Police chief Michael Delaney and Warren County sheriff Brett Hightower breaking down the alerts they had received.
"The specific threat is threatening to shoot anyone who is protesting and anyone helping the protestors. At this moment we have not determined the validity of this threat, however, we feel that it is important to inform our citizens," Sheriff Hightower said.
"As publicized, there are at least three groups planning a protest to take place at noon on Saturday," Chief Delaney said.
"The Bowling Green Police Department is working closely with the Warren County Sheriff's Department, the Kentucky State Police, the FBL and the Office of Homeland Security to determine the origin of the threat."
These protests are being held to demand justice for Emmett Till as Carolyn Bryant Donham, the woman who originally accused the 14-year-old of making advances toward her nearly 70 years ago in Mississippi, now lives in Bowling Green, according to WNKY.
Organizers of the Christmas parade are working to reschedule the event but have not released a new date at this time.
