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NYC Veterans Group Threatens to Sue After City Allows BLM Marches but No Memorial Day Parade

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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has approved Black Lives Matter marches and also approved a Cannabis Parade last week after denying a military parade for veterans on Memorial Day on Staten Island.

The veteran celebration was set to recognize the 30th anniversary of veterans of the Gulf War conflict.

“It’s a slap in the face,” said Jamie Gonzalez, 57, a Marine infantryman who saw combat in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, according to the New York Post.

“For many of us, a parade is a form of closure,” Gonzalez added. “We gather together and support each other.”

Legal action is now under consideration. The veterans’ group has sent a letter demanding approval, noting the double standard.

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Over the past year, the city has seen a smaller St. Patrick’s Day Parade, multiple BLM marches and other events. De Blasio himself even attended a BLM rally.

The veterans’ group estimated as many as 1,000 people would march in the parade.

The parade was scheduled as the city’s 102nd annual Memorial Day Parade, according to Fox News.

The Post reported the event is led by the United Staten Island Veterans Organization, an association of 16 New York City area veterans’ groups, that has long sponsored the annual march.

The group reportedly filed a request for a parade permit with the New York Police Department on Feb. 27, following the same procedure they use every year.

Leaders recently appeared on “Fox & Friends,” where they announced their concern and potential legal action.

“There is a clear double standard being applied,” attorney Brendan Lantry said on the show. “We’re just asking the city not to play politics with our veterans.”

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He added, “Memorial Day is three weeks away and so if they don’t issue a permit, if they don’t correct course here, we’re going to be bringing an action in Supreme Court, New York state, here in Richmond County in Staten Island, New York, to compel them to issue a permit.”

“The same process that was put in place last week for the cannabis parade … should be put in place at least for our veterans,” Lantry added.

United Staten Island Veterans organization member Lee Covino also appeared on a Fox News segment.

“Every veteran has a different piece of history they can tell you, from the Pearl Harbor guys, who are getting very old at this point, to people that just got back from Iraq and Afghanistan,” he shared.

“So we want those kids to see real-life history, from their borough, Staten Island, marching down Forest Avenue.”

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Dillon Burroughs reports on breaking news for The Western Journal and is the author or co-author of numerous books.
Dillon Burroughs reports on breaking news for The Western Journal and is the author or co-author of numerous books. An accomplished endurance athlete, Burroughs has also completed numerous ultramarathons. He lives in Tennessee with his wife and three children.




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