Theater fans flock to support "Parade" after antisemitic protest

There was a visible police president tonight outside of a Broadway show that had been targeted by anti-Semitic protesters. Theater fans seeing the musical parade did not let hate stop their joy. CBS 2's Ali Bauman reports now from the theater district. There's a long line Wednesday to see parade for its second night on Broadway. The crowd is undisturbed, unlike the night before, when self-proclaimed neo-Nazis antagonized ticket holders with anti-Semitic fliers. They were yelling, you know, Leo Frank's pedophile and those sorts of things. So, uh, yeah, it was scary.

The musical parade tells the true story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was wrongfully convicted of murder and lynched by a mob in Georgia in the early 1900s. Ben Platt stars in the show. It was definitely very ugly and scary, but a wonderful reminder of, um, why we're telling this particular story and how special and powerful art and theater can be. After word spread about the hateful display out here Tuesday, some people be-lined to the theater to buy their ticket. I saw that and I was like, I got to go support the show now. So I said, you know what, I'm going to come and support this play and this theater. There seemed to be extra security at the Bernard B.

Jacobs Theater Wednesday, but some ticket holders were still anxious. Last night, I literally was like I'm not even thinking. I had a ring that I was wearing also with Hebrew writing and I took it off because you don't know what's going to happen. In a statement, the producers of parades said if there is any remaining doubt out there about the urgency of telling this story in this moment in history, the vileness on display last night should put it to rest. The whole idea about Broadway and Life Theater, it's an accepting community. It's a celebration of everyone in all different diversities. So now more than ever, the show must go on.

This is CBS 2 News.

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