1997 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The corner of 72nd Street and Central Park West (photographed in 2008), site of the near-fatal lamppost collision

The 71st Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held on November 27, 1997, under high winds, which led to multiple mishaps involving the parade's signature balloons. A Cat in the Hat balloon collided with a lamppost, knocking off its arm and sending a spectator into a month-long coma. There were at least four injuries overall, including another serious head wound from the same incident. The Cat in the Hat was one of several balloons that lost limbs or were otherwise damaged, including the Barney the Dinosaur and Pink Panther balloons, which were forcibly deflated by officers of the New York City Police Department (NYPD).

The incidents led to scrutiny by Mayor Rudy Giuliani and changes in the parade, including a ban on larger balloons such as the Cat in the Hat. The most seriously injured attendee settled a lawsuit out of court. The image of the Barney balloon's destruction by police knives and boots—its so-called "murder"[1][2][3]—has found enduring popularity through social media, owing partly to popular hatred of Barney.

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