OMG are you serious? the pic the media keep using is showing the back of the around empty is from earlier before it began???
WHY AM I SURPRISED????
Yes, I was there.
I was in the last part of the mall (furthest away) and it was packed with people.
They shut down access to the front areas because they were already full.
Something else not being mentioned, the number of people in each area on the mall was controlled with gates and fences.
Plus it was about a 2 hour wait in the security line where we went in. Many people walked away because they didn’t want to wait in line to get onto the mall.
We never made it through security in time to get onto the parade route to see the parade. Another 1-1/2 hour plus line.