Attempts were made this year to make the Mummers parade more diverse this year, but some incidents marred the annual march. Watch video
PHILADELPHIA -- The annual Mummers Parade New Year's Day was not all fun and revelry, reports say.
The parade was briefly interrupted by a protest and two people were arrested, according to 6abc.com.
The demonstrators, including members of Black Lives Matter and the Coalition for REAL Justice, were protesting issues including police brutality, the public school funding crisis, minimum wage and military action in the Middle East at the Friday Center City event.
Taken into custody was a man, 45, who was charged with disorderly conduct and a woman, 34, who was charged with disrupting a procession.
They were part of about 50 demonstrators, reports said.
In all, police say the protest lasted about two hours.
The parade, which organizers took steps to make more diverse this year, was also the scene of racist and homophobic acts along its route, according to NBC10.com.
One Mummer was caught on video along the parade route making slurs against gays, the report said.
A gay man claimed he was attacked by costumed men who strayed from the Broad Street parade route after they used gay slurs against him and he confronted them.
Also during the parade members of one comic group one donned brown face for their theme, "Siesta Fiesta," according to NBC10.com.
Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow South Jersey Times on Twitter @TheSJTimes. Find NJ.com on Facebook.