Veterans Plan to Sue de Blasio’s NYC After 102 Year Old Parade March Canceled But Weed Parade Approved

The United Staten Island Veterans Organization Inc., a veteran organization based in New York is threatening legal action against Mayor Bill de Blasio’s New York City, after they were denied a permit to run a Memorial Day parade. The CEO of this group and his attorney Brendan Lantry are “sickened” by a supposed double standard pushed by de Blasio.

A Cannabis Parade was able to receive a permit from the city but their Memorial Day veteran march was denied a permit immediately. This year’s Memorial Day parade would have been the 102nd annual parade and would mark the 30th anniversary of the Gulf War. 

The veteran organization is an association of 16 local veteran groups and has sponsored this parade for over 100 years. A request for a parade permit was filed with the New York Police Department on February 27th, and the Veteran organization insists they followed the same procedure and rules they have followed every year. On March 9, NYPD shot down the request, citing de Blasio’s emergency executive order restricting public events due to Covid-19. 

The irony of this response is that there have been multiple events recently that were not shut down due to Covid-19. There was a St. Patrick’s Day Parade in March in which de Blasio himself was present at.  

Great St. Patrick’s Day celebration today with a fun crowd on Rockaway Beach. pic.twitter.com/qBNsnqZyB0

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 7, 2015

There have been multiple Black Lives Matter protest marches and even just last week, on May 1, the cannabis rally/parade was put on. Proud potheads marched seventeen blocks parading around with a massive inflatable spliff and listened to speeches from prominent political figures such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

These New Yorkers Love Weed So Much They Threw a Whole Parade for It

The NYC Cannabis Parade began as a “smoke-in” in Washington Square Park in 1973. It’s evolved to become much bigger, and it’s important as the country moves closer to legalization. https://t.co/LMDTJmZ9jz pic.twitter.com/lHXA4tnfAm

— Marijuana News (@WeedFeed) May 7, 2019

‘It’s Pathetic’: NYC Veterans Furious At De Blasio For Blocking Memorial Day Parade After Permitting Cannabis Parade https://t.co/mCsZBhB3iE pic.twitter.com/ANiIX9AUZT

— The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) May 10, 2021

@SenSchumer speaking at NYC cannabis parade #nyccannabisparade pic.twitter.com/rpqLD4SM8K

— death by challah (@challahbackboii) May 1, 2021

Attorney Brendan Lantry said that what the city is doing to veterans is “disturbing” and “there is a clear double standard being applied. We are just asking the city not to play politics with our veterans.” Lantry is also threatening to wage a massive legal battle against the city: “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 in action in Supreme Court, New York state, here in Richmond County in Staten Island, New York to compel them to issue a permit.” 

The city’s decision to prevent the Veterans’ parade infuriated many local veterans in New York and political commentators across the U.S. “It’s a slap in the face. For many of us, a parade is a form of closure. We gather together and support each other,” said Jamie Gonzalez, 57, a Marine infantryman who faced combat in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm.

Teddy Daniels, Republican candidate in PA-8, called de Blasio the “worst mayor in NYC history” and accused him of pandering: 

Jackass @BilldeBlasio disrespects our veterans while pandering to people he thinks will vote for him. Let me tell you, you are the worst mayor in NYC history. I could take a private right out of basic training and he will do a better job than you. https://t.co/7Lli2i3JPj

— Teddy Daniels for Congress (@DanielsCongress) May 10, 2021

Republican congressional candidate Jarome Bell VA-2, also weighed in, “If DiBlasio allowed a cannabis parade last week but pulled the permit for a VETERANS MARCH this week that tells you a lot about why the city is circling the drain right now.”

If DiBlasio allowed a cannabis parade last week but pulled the permit for a VETERANS MARCH this week that tells you a lot about why the city is circling the drain right now.

— Jarome Bell (@JaromeBellVA) May 10, 2021

The double standard clearly upset veterans. Volker Heyde, the commandant of Staten Island’s Marine Corps League voiced his concern: “Look, have any parade you want, I have no problem with that. But for the city to put dopeheads over vets is just dishonoring us.”