Quick thinking by City of Trenton police officers saved the Guatemalan Parade and Festival. Police arrived at approximately 2:40 p.m. and defused a situation that had grown dangerous after crowds entered the parade route along Hamilton Ave. Police altered the parade route after crowds blocked Division St. which prevented marchers and floats to make a right hand turn from Hamilton Ave. Floats found difficulty making a right hand turn onto Division St. from Hamilton Ave. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Crowds lined Hamilton Ave. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Martinez with his 10-week old child, Lezy. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Parade guests stood 10-deep in some areas. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Security made valiant attempts at crowd control but were overwhelmed. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Trenton's 2024 Guatemalan Parade and Festival. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Trenton police arrived at about 2:40 p.m. and gained control. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Trenton police altered parade route that guided marchers down Hamilton Ave. onto Anderson St. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Trenton's 2024 Guatemalan Parade and Festival. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Trenton police arrived at about 2:40 p.m. and gained control. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Trenton police arrived at about 2:40 p.m. and gained control. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Floats found difficulty making a right hand turn onto Division St. from Hamilton Ave. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Trenton's 2024 Guatemalan Parade and Festival. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Show Caption1 of 13Floats found difficulty making a right hand turn onto Division St. from Hamilton Ave. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Expand Floats and parade participants were siphoned down Hamilton Ave. then made a right turn onto Division St. “There’s just too many people and not enough security. We were just outnumbered. All it took was just a few people to break through onto the street. After that, we just couldn’t contain them,” said one security guard. Security guards appeared frustrated before a lone Trenton police officer arrived via motorcycle. He communicated directions to security staff who followed instructions. Several security members said the parade and festival had outgrown the Unity Park area. “Just too many people. The city needs to start rethinking this, maybe Cadwalader Park or Mercer County Park. But certainly not here,” a member of the security staff said. Thousands packed a parade route that had moved down South Clinton Ave. then made a right turn onto Hamilton Ave. Crowd numbers surged as floats and marchers neared the grandstand in front of Unity Park. Mercer County Executive Dan Benson marched in front of the procession. “So, things moved pretty smoothly from that vantage point,” Benson said.