Pennsylvania Halloween parade entry depicted VP Kamala Harris in chains

By Bob Mayo

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    MOUNT PLEASANT, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — It was a display that shocked and troubled people — the Pittsburgh chapter of the NAACP called it deeply disturbing and offensive.

In the Mount Pleasant Halloween Parade Wednesday night, there was an entry depicting Vice President Kamala Harris being led in chains behind a vehicle marked with former President Donald Trump’s name.

“Two men at the back, dressed like Secret Service and a man in the center, dressed like a sniper with a weapon pointed upward. It gets more disturbing when you see the pictures. Multiple images from multiple points of view of a woman in what looks like a business suit chained to the back of the truck,” said Michelle Milan McFall, chair of the Westmoreland County Democratic Party.

Milan McFall said people have been sharing images with her and voicing their concerns on social media.

“People are upset about this. And I think, too, we’re five days out from what is the most contentious election in a county that is not always at peace with itself. You know, we’ve seen political violence in this county,” Milan McFall said.

Mount Pleasant Mayor Diane Bailey told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 the Halloween parade is not sponsored by the borough. The parade is staged by the Mount Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department.

She says it’s been going on for 70 years without incident, and that display, in her words, “has shocked residents more than they can ever say.”

Milan McFall said, “It’s vile. It’s heartbreaking. It’s concerning. And I think it’s also got an element of danger. Again, we’re living in this climate where people aren’t just thinking about hatred and feeling it in their guts and bones. They’re acting on it. We have to take down the temperature.”

Bill Bretz, chair of the Westmoreland County Republican Committee, told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, “We certainly don’t condone the simulation of political imprisonment or violence in any context, no matter what the party affiliation of those involved.”

Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has made several attempts to get comment from Mount Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department and its fire chief.

“This is a failure on the part of organizers whose job it is, first and foremost, with a community event is to set the right tone. To ensure that everyone attending that community event feels welcome is part of the message that’s being rolled out down a main street in a highly populated area,” Milan McFall said.

NAACP Pittsburgh Branch President Daylon Davis issued a written statement condemning the display as offensive. The statement said, in part:

“We are deeply disturbed by the inclusion of an offensive display in this year’s Mount Pleasant Halloween Parade. The depicted Vice President Kamala Harris, a Black woman, in chains, being led by a vehicle marked with former President Donald Trump’s name. This appalling portrayal goes beyond the realm of Halloween satire or free expression; it is a harmful symbol that evokes a painful history of violence, oppression, and racism that Black and Brown communities have long endured here in America.”

“In allowing this display, the organizers have sent a troubling message that demeans and dehumanizes Black and Brown individuals. This kind of imagery reinforces a dangerous narrative, implicitly suggesting that Black individuals belong in chains. Such a display has no place in our society today or any community that values inclusivity, respect, and human dignity.”

UPDATE: The following statement was posted on the Mt. Pleasant VFD Facebook page.

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. We’re proud to have sponsored this parade for over 70 years and its goal has always been to support our community’s children. We are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that our future events celebrate the diversity and spirit of our community in a positive way.

The annual Halloween Parade is a first come, first serve event and we have traditionally only provided safety & traffic control. We will be reviewing our planning processes to prevent a situation like this from happening again. Thank you for your understanding and support as we work to make our events more welcoming for everyone.

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