PHOTOS: 700,000 12s @ Seahawks Super Bowl Victory Parade

(Our earlier coverage of West Seattleites heading to the parade, including via Water Taxi, is here)

(Part of a downtown crowd estimated at 700,000! Photo by David Christensen)
11:00 AM: It’s 11 am – time to start parade coverage. Regional TV is streaming as well as broadcasting; we start with links:

Live broadcast: KING5.com
Live broadcast: KIROTV.com
Live tweets/chat: SeattleTimes.com

Photos, etc., to come! (added) Mark Tabbutt shared this pre-parade-crowd video recorded while bicycling to work:

Remember that road closures/bus reroutes have kicked in downtown, so if you’re not at the parade or watching it, still a good idea to stay put until it’s all over.

11:12 AM: We’re listening to KING’s stream, and the parade has not yet started – the team HAS arrived at the staging area, though. And the fans there were just singing “We Are the Champions.”

11:30 AM: Still hasn’t started. But we have an update from Seattle Public Schools: 13,523 students absent today – that’s 1 in 4, and about five times yesterday’s absences. 565 teachers are out, about 1 in 5, and about double the usual rate.

11:54 AM: Parade has finally begun. This traffic cam downtown has a good view:

12:43 PM: Three high-ranking politicians suggest a Seahawk should join their profession:

Cantwell, @Mayor_Ed_Murray & @kcexec launch a new campaign: #Sherman4Prez. #Celebrate48 pic.twitter.com/RqzFLIBQWH

— Sen. Maria Cantwell (@CantwellPress) February 5, 2014

Seattle Police are estimating 700,000 people downtown for this – more than double the original expectation.

1 PM: One of the sweetest scenes so far, via TV helicopter extreme zoom:

Check out all the @Skittles around @MoneyLynch during #12parade Watch KIRO 7 now. Online here: http://t.co/BY6gViEEKh pic.twitter.com/CScnlzFFLS

— Casey McNerthney (@mcnerthney) February 5, 2014

(added) Ground version of the view, from Larry Murante:

1:22 PM: Tweeted by West Seattleite Kim Sharpe Jones:

#LOB #celebrate48 pic.twitter.com/8J3oHzSdUm

— Kim Jones (@seattlekim) February 5, 2014

2:03 PM: The parade’s almost over. (The 747 flyover just happened!) We’re adding photos – check back!

3:16 PM: Lots more photos – this is from Doug Branch, in the midst of the downtown crowd:

AJL February 5, 2014 (12:01 pm)

It’s just crazy downtown. Traffic is going no where, neither are buses. Jammed with people. I don’t see how it’ll be cleared for rush hour so be prepared for a long commute home…

JanS February 5, 2014 (12:27 pm)

King 5 said that police estimate the crowd at 700,000…glad I’m watching from home where it’s nice and warm :)

ddd February 5, 2014 (12:41 pm)

http://www.seahawks.com has the Q13 live stream.

Rumbles February 5, 2014 (12:48 pm)

Cell service anywhere near 4th ave is basically non-existant. If you head up the hill east of I-5, it seems to be ok. I’m sure the towers are overloaded! Crowd is well behaved and excited!

WSB February 5, 2014 (1:07 pm)

Rumbles – the city has even put out a call for people to stay off their phones. Of course, if they’re not on their phones and looking at the web, or social media, they won’t know, so …

joe February 5, 2014 (1:49 pm)

Interesting how Paul Allen had more armed security around him than anyone else in the parade. More than the mayor, governor, county executive, the head coach, etc…AND, he was sitting in an up-armored Hummer.

Dale February 5, 2014 (2:13 pm)

I wonder why the parade couldnt wait till Saturday? More students, workers could attend. Less disruptive on downtown businesses assuming..

MCJ February 5, 2014 (2:34 pm)

Alright. I’m one of the most cynical people when it comes to sports, especially pro sports but that parade WAS AWESOME!

Diana February 5, 2014 (2:40 pm)

Spent most of the day here – everyone was WONDERFUL! What a great event!

Rexx February 5, 2014 (3:51 pm)

Latest crowd estimate is over ONE MILLION in downtown,stadiums and surrounding area…Largest crowd in Seattle history!!!

Alphonse February 5, 2014 (3:56 pm)

The media were clutching their pearls at the start of the parade saying “Marshawn Lynch is nowhere to be found.” Turns out he was front and center and seemed to be having more fun than just about anyone else. Just about throwing those Skittles, boss….

Shannon February 5, 2014 (4:03 pm)

@ Dale, imagine how many more people would have tried to go if the parade were on a weekend… I don’t think they would have all fit downtown! They got nearly a million people in the middle of a weekday…

shem4prez February 5, 2014 (5:32 pm)

wow. I tend to vote democratic. I may have even voted for those morons.

I assume the sign indicates Richard Sherman….a football player, with a degree in communication.

In their eyes he is qualified for POTUS(President of the united states)? Serious, last time I voted will be the last time I vote D. Ever.

Anyway hope traffic is clear by the time I have to head home.

Alki Girl February 5, 2014 (7:06 pm)

Awesome parade!!!! We were downtown all day. Best fans in the NFL!!!! No fights, everyone smiling :)

Alphonse February 5, 2014 (8:15 pm)

Yes, shem4prez. They were absolutely, seriously, with no humor or silly good cheer whatsoever intended, suggesting that Richard Sherman be installed (without even putting it up for a vote) as President of the United States. Thanks for putting up the alert so that the rest of us can start making calls to the proper authorities about this travesty! (BTW, I heard that Skittles will now be mandatory in all school lunches and kids who don’t eat them will be expelled.)

redblack February 5, 2014 (8:58 pm)

shem4prez: basic civics. richard sherman won’t be eligible for another 9 years.
.
besides, it’s much better to have rich bankers and lawyers in the white house. everyone knows that.

fauntleroy fairy February 5, 2014 (8:59 pm)

Since this thread took a slightly political turn, I’ll add my 2cents worth by asking what a lot of people were that were there….”Why the heck were there politicians in the parade???”

This celebration had nothing, nada, zippo, zero to do with them and yet there were their opportunistic mugs for all of us to have to look at.

They weren’t riding the “duck”, they were riding coattails for personal gain. Shame on them.

Great parade otherwise!!!

Nicolina February 5, 2014 (11:39 pm)

So worth it to take the excused absence. My child got a high 5 with Sherman and autographs. We also gave out our box of toe Warmers to friends and also the homeless. What a happy event!! We did have time to kill so visited totem poles in a Pioneer Square. Productive Field trip. My child’s comment ” best day of his life”

peachymama February 6, 2014 (12:01 am)

Did no one else see the espn Caliendo 30 for 30 video? It is funny! That’s where the Sherm for President comes from. Also, we lost our last Superbowl on Feb 5th, so this was a great day to celebrate. Hopefully, I post this link right. Enjoy
http://search.espn.go.com/richard-sherman-caliendo/videos/6