Columbus Day Parade organizers withhold invite for mayor
<p>Parade organizers have decided not to invite Mayor Bill de Blasio to this year’s Columbus Day Parade because of his political stance over public statues. </p>
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Oct 5, 2017, 2:15 AM
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Updated 2,639 days ago
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Parade organizers have decided not to invite Mayor Bill de Blasio to this year’s Columbus Day Parade because of his political stance over public statues.
Organizers cited his decision to create a commission to review statues and plaques that could be controversial.
The mayor announced the commission after the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in August.
One controversial statue is of Christopher Columbus at Columbus Circle.
Parade organizers say the mayor has walked the route before, but because he has not decided whether or not he is going to keep the statue, he should stay home.
Up to 8,000 people are expected to be attending the parade this year to celebrate Italian heritage and Columbus Day.
News 12 reached out to the mayor’s office and did not immediately receive a response.
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