Changes to J'ouvert NYC festival

New York City officials have shifted the start time of a pre-dawn festival celebrating Caribbean culture and are taking other security precautions in an effort to stem violence ahead of the West Indian Day Parade.

J'ouvert usually begins at 4 a.m. on Labor Day on the streets of Brooklyn but will start this year at 6 a.m. Revelers will have to pass through metal detectors, and no alcohol or backpacks will be allowed.

This year, the formation area and parade route will close to the general public the night before the parade.

Hundreds of additional uniformed officers  an increase of more than 10 percent over last year  will provide security at 12 secure entry points and along the two-mile parade route.

Police say the precautions are similar to security during New Year's Eve in Times Square.

Police stepped up security last year, but three people were still shot, two fatally. In 2015, an aide to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo was killed by a stray bullet.

With the Associated Press