Halloween parade float depicting Trump, Harris sparks criticism
By: Juliann Ventura (The Hill)
A float at a Halloween parade in Pennsylvania is sparking sharp criticism, as many called its depictions of former President Trump and Vice President Harris "racist and offensive."
Several photos and videos circulating online show a person wearing a mask of Trump, standing alongside a sniper atop a small vehicle, leading someone who resembles Harris, with a rope or chains around her wrists and mock Secret Service agents looking on.
The event was sponsored by the Mount Pleasant Borough Volunteer Fire Department. The borough issued a statement explaining there was no vetting process for the floats because no similar incidents had occurred in the past.
"To say that the display was appalling and caused concern not only to the residents of the Borough of Mount Pleasant and the dedicated volunteer members of the Mount Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department is an understatement," the borough said in a statement.
"Please know that this type of display is not condoned or acceptable by the Borough of Mount Pleasant and the Mount Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department now or ever," it added.
Mount Pleasant's Volunteer Fire Department, which has sponsored the parade for more than 70 years, also condemned the float in a statement on Thursday.
"We, the members of the Mount Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department, want to take a moment to sincerely apologize for allowing the offensive participants to take part in the Mount Pleasant Annual Halloween Parade last evening. We do not share in the values represented by those participants, and we understand how it may have hurt or offended members of our community," the fire department said.
The fire department added that while it has traditionally provided safety and traffic control at the parade, it will be reviewing its planning processes to prevent a similar event from occurring again.
Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D) made a thread of posts on the social platform X on Friday, also denouncing the float.
"I'm horrified by the disgusting display of hate at this week's Halloween parade in Mount Pleasant. Depicting Vice President Harris in chains at the hands of her opponent is grounded symbolism from our country's painful past," she wrote in the post.
McClinton called for other state leaders to speak out against the "hate," while calling on "those responsible need to be held accountable."
The Hill has contacted the Harris and Trump campaigns for comment.
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Can anyone still pretend that the maga cult isn't a fascist, terrorist entity?
oh no, the town and the VFD sponsor are horrified, but nobody stopped the float from going down the street ...
the float participants should probably have a chat with the secret service, give the maga's a chance to turn on each other ...
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looks like a half baked idea thrown together at the last minute. pure maga ...
was there a float down the parade line of a dismembered zombie traitor with an ax in it's head by any chance? /s
garbage
Exactly and that was one of the excuses, "it wasn't really a qualified "float"" it was a live something or other...
Damn volunteer fire department.
“Damn volunteer fire department.”
Appropriate? Damn idiocy in any way in any name…
Not surprising, sadly.
Is this a hick town? I heard it is 5000 people.
Was the parade 2 minutes? If longer , why didnt some one in authority put an end to this ?
That is a very good question.
hopefully we'll all be done with these mentally defective maga's last hurrah antics in about 90 days ...
You answered your own question. Anyone living in a town that small must be a hick.
If Ms. Harris wins do we/can we get do the same to Mr. X45 Drumph?
Mabe for real, not just in effigies.
Only if we aren’t very original.