Vessel Ejected From NYC 250th Parade Over Politically Charged Banners

The environmental advocacy group Hudson River Sloop Clearwater said its historic sailing vessel was removed from the Sail4th 250 Parade of Sail by the U.S. Coast Guard on July 4 after officials objected to its banners.

“Removed from Sail4th 250 for carrying messages of clean water, indigenous rights, and calling for climate solutions,” Hudson River Sloop Clearwater posted on its Facebook page.

The U.S. Coast Guard told The Epoch Times via email that parade participants had “agreed to conditions established by Sail4th.”

“One of those conditions was to not display political or politically charged messages/statements,” the Coast Guard said.

“The owner of the sloop Clearwater was contacted and requested to remove the message being displayed or be removed from the parade of sail. They declined to remove it. So, the Coast Guard enforced the agreement on behalf of Sail4th, removing the vessel from the parade.”

Jen Benson, director of advocacy and communications for Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, said the Coast Guard didn’t give the vessel the option to take down the messages and join the parade.

“Both our Captain Rory Kane and Executive Director David Toman were onboard, and were Clearwater’s primary contacts for the event,” Benson told The Epoch Times via email. “Neither of them received a phone call, email, or any other communication expressing concern about the banners and requesting that the banners be removed.”

Benson said the group did not agree with the decision made by Sail4th 250 and enforced by the Coast Guard, but the group abided by it.

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater said it had 29 passengers and 19 crew members aboard.

A representative from Sail4th 250 told Kane the decision to remove the vessel was “above them,” according to the group’s Facebook post. The vessel’s captain, Rory Kane, asked why they were being told to leave and was told the reason was the presence of banners that read “Save the Clean Water Act” and “Indigenous Rights, Racial Justice, Climate Solutions.”

The vessel was escorted out by the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, and the New York Police Department, according to the Facebook post.

The vessel has a long history of being used to share messages, the group said.

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater was founded in 1966 by folk singer Pete Seeger and environmental activists to help protect the Hudson River through education, advocacy, and sailing, according to its website. The organization said that since it launched in 1969, it has introduced more than 500,000 people to the river aboard the historic sloop while promoting environmental stewardship.

Sail4th 250 is celebrating America’s 250th birthday by holding what it has called “the largest-ever flotilla of tall ships from around the world, creating a majestic nautical spectacle and an unforgettable once-in-a-generation event on land, sea, and air.” The events include more than 30 nations and include an International Naval Review and aerial review in New York City.