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Florida city cancels St. Patrick's Day parade, citing new anti-DEI law
NPR • • nation
Key Points:
- Delray Beach, Florida, has canceled its nearly 60-year-old St. Patrick's Day parade and withdrawn sponsorship of LGBTQ Pride celebrations due to a new state law banning taxpayer funding for diversity initiatives.
- The law, supported by Governor Ron DeSantis, targets diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, labeling them discriminatory and prohibiting government-sponsored cultural or heritage events that are not national holidays.
- City officials, advised by legal counsel, decided to cancel the parade to comply with the law, but the mayor expressed hope that private sponsors could revive these community events without public funding.
- Governor DeSantis accused Delray Beach of using the law to make a political statement, claiming the city's actions were not legally required but rather an example of "malicious compliance."
- The mayor emphasized the community's strong desire to continue the celebrations and called for private funding to preserve these longstanding cultural traditions.
