'It's shameful': Baltimore councilman holds organizers accountable after MLK parade canceled again
BALTIMORE - A long-standing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day tradition in Baltimore City is once again on the chopping block.
The parade, honoring the civil rights activist's legacy, has been canceled for the third year in a row.
The Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts said he will be celebrated through a day of service.
However, the decision to cancel the parade comes with controversy.
Instead of a celebratory parade on MLK Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street, Baltimore officials want to know why the show won't be going on as scheduled.
The parade has not been held since January 2020. The event was canceled in 2021 and 2022 – citing COVID-19 as the reason.
Baltimore City Councilman Eric Costello is fighting for the parade to march down the streets of Baltimore.
He told WJZ that the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts is in violation of its contractual obligation with the Baltimore City of Baltimore.
Part of that agreement includes hosting the MLK Jr. Parade.
Costello is now planning to bring the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts leadership in front of the Ways and Means Committee, again.
"This parade is a long-standing tradition in our city," Costello said. "It's incredibly important to our residents and to our visitors and I think it's shameful what BOPA is doing."
BOPA has recently been in hot water with the Ways and Means Committee, which Costello chairs.
Last summer, the councilman said the committee striped $196,000 from their $2.6 million budget after BOPA did not host Artscape for two years.
"I thought that we sent a very clear message this summer when we made those cuts and we brought them in front of the committee twice," Costello said. "Apparently, I was mistaken. Thankfully we have the option to correct that moving forward."
Costello said he wants to cut ties with the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts.
"I'm going to be taking actions to terminate our contractual agreement with BOPA until there is leadership in place that we can work with," Costello said.
Costello said City Council has no control over putting on the parade, otherwise, it would still be happening.
During an unrelated press conference, Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott acknowledged that this will be investigated further, but hopes people still participate in promoting equal rights for everyone.
"Dr. King was about service, and that's how I'll be spending my MLK Day, is doing things in service and making sure that we're talking about uplifting the community through service," Mayor Scott said.
BOPA would not comment further outside of its original parade cancellation statement.
