Kamala Harris depicted as chained up during Pennsylvania Halloween parade, officials apologize for "allowing the offensive participants"
MT. PLEASANT, Pa. (KDKA) — Some participants in a Halloween parade outside Pittsburgh are being heavily criticized for their depiction of Vice President Harris in a float.
Photos of the float in Wednesday night's parade in Mount Pleasant, in Westmoreland County, show a utility vehicle decorated with American flags and campaign signs for former President Donald Trump and people dressed as United States Secret Service agents with what appears to be a rifle mounted on top and with a person dressed as Harris chained up and walking behind the cart. KDKA-TV later learned it was a fake gun.
The photos have gone viral on social media and the response was overwhelmingly negative, with many calling the float racist and offensive.
In a statement on Facebook on Thursday night, the Mount Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department apologized "for allowing the offensive participants" to be in the parade.
"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 post said.
The department said it has "traditionally only provided safety & traffic control" during the parade, but didn't elaborate on how the float made it into the parade or who was involved.
"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," the post added.
Daylon A. Davis, the president of the NAACP Pittsburgh branch, said in a statement that, "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.
"We urge the event organizers and local leaders to implement clearer guidelines to prevent this type of hateful and hurtful display from occurring in the future. We also ask that they offer an apology and make a public commitment to anti-racist values that affirm the dignity and equality of all people."
Mount Pleasant Mayor Diane Bailey condemned the portrayal of Harris. (Be aware: Viewers may find that video offensive)
"I was appalled, angered, upset," she said on Thursday. "This does not belong in this parade or in this town."
The mayor said it's up to the fire department to make changes.
"They've never taken applications in the past," Mayor Bailey said. "They've never vetted anyone who wanted to come to the parade."
Westmoreland County leaders, many of whom are Democrats, met in the courtyard of the Westmoreland County Courthouse to speak out against the float on Friday.
"The disturbing display at the Mount Pleasant Halloween parade on Oct. 30 does not represent who we are in Westmoreland County," said Ted Kopas, a Westmoreland County Commissioner.
KDKA-TV Investigative Producer Tory Wegerski contributed to this report.