Following several mass shooting events in the recent months, including this past Monday’s shooting at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, the St. Clair Democratic Party announced yesterday that despite being registered, they will not be participating in next week’s Rotary International Day Parade.
Party chair Jim Frank says that the move is both out of safety concerns and in protest of the perceived lack of response by lawmakers to address gun violence in the U.S. Instead, they will be using the money saved from not being in the parade for voting and sensible gun law education.
However, a Port Huron Rotary Club spokesperson noted that no other participants in this year’s parade expressed similar fears, nor were there any threats received by organizers to arouse such concerns. Port Huron Police Assistant Chief Marcy Kuehn says that the entire department will be mobilized during next week’s Boat Week festivities, with police cadets and volunteers, as well as federal, state and other local law enforcement agencies assisting.
The parade is scheduled for next Wednesday, July 13, at 6:30 p.m., with the route running through downtown Port Huron along Huron Avenue.
