A Florida city is canceling its long-standing St. Patrick’s Day parade, citing the state government’s law restricting local activities related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
“This decision is not budgetary in nature, nor is it the result of a local policy decision. It is a matter of compliance with state law,” the city of Delray Beach said in a statement online.
The state law, which takes effect in January, restricts municipalities from promoting or hosting activities related to DEI — or based on someone’s race, sexual orientation or ethnicity, among other identity markers. The legislation was part of a broader nationwide movement by Republican legislators to eliminate programs that highlight often-marginalized identities, arguing such programming provides preferential treatment to those communities.
Any local or county official who violates the state law could face potential civil or other legal penalties, the city said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who has led a national push against DEI, accused the city of playing politics and said St. Patrick’s Day does not fall under the Florida law, passed by the Republican-led state legislature and signed by DeSantis in April.
“We’ve seen these stunts throughout the years. Rinse and repeat,” he said Friday in a post on X.
Delray Beach also is canceling its Pride events, which celebrate the LGBTQ community.
But the state law allows private organizations to sponsor and organize events, something that the city manager and mayor have expressed interest in.
“The city is working feverishly with multiple entities to ensure the 2027 St. Patrick’s Day parade goes on as scheduled!” Mayor Tom Carney said in a Facebook post. “For those who live, work & play in Delray, we want the Delray Beach St. Patrick’s Day parade to stay!”
He described the parade as ingrained ”in the DNA” of the Delray Beach community.
St. Patrick’s Day, which is a celebration of Irish and Irish American ethnicity and culture, has long been a festive day for millions of Americans to wear green, drink beer and come together in outdoor festivals. The country’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in 1601 in what is now St. Augustine, Florida, to honor Ireland’s patron saint when Florida was ruled by the Spanish.
Waves of Irish settlers came to New England in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, many of them as indentured servants or refugees fleeing famine, cementing the St. Patrick’s Day tradition — a Catholic feast day — in America. As of 2021, 31.5 million Americans claim Irish ancestry, with Irish Americans living in every county in the country, according to the U.S. Census.
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