Banners get historic ship booted from New York Harbor parade

The United States Coast Guard escorted a historic ship from New York Harbor Saturday morning, after it appeared for the July 4 Parade of Ships bearing political messages.

The parade formed part of the series of events on the Hudson and East Rivers around Manhattan to celebrate the U.S.’ 250th anniversary, which also included flyovers and the usual Macy’s July 4 fireworks.

The historic sloop Clearwater which had to leave the parade Saturday had appeared in a similar pageant for the country’s bicentennial in 1976 and has a history of being tied to activism.

Newsweek reached out to the organization behind the Clearwater, the USCG, and Sail 4th, the event organizers, for comment outside normal working hours Saturday.

Clearwater Removed from New York Harbor Parade

The Clearwater had two banners attached to its main sail. On one side, it read “Save the Clean Water Act,” while the other said, “Indigenous Rights, Racial Justice, Climate Solutions,” per photos shared on social media.

According to The Highlands Current, the ship had been scheduled to be an escort for the Portuguese Navy ship, the NRP Sagres, but instead found itself being escorted off the parade route by the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as the NYPD.

“I was shouting at them, ‘Folks, we’re part of this parade,’” Clearwater Executive Director David Toman told the outlet. “We’re part of this all.”

Initially, it was not clear why they were being asked to leave the parade, but a member of the USCG later explained it was because of the banners.

A USCG spokesperson told the Current that political messaging was not allowed as part of the conditions of participation in the event.

“The owner of the sloop Clearwater was contacted and requested to remove the message being displayed or be removed from the parade of sail,” they told the outlet. “They declined to remove it. So, the Coast Guard enforced the agreement on behalf of Sail4th removing the vessel from the parade.”

Those on the sloop said that no such communication had taken place. Toman told The Current he understood there was only a ban on promotional materials hanging from the boats taking part.

What is the Clearwater?

The Clearwater is a 106-foot replica of a traditional Hudson River sloop, built to resemble the cargo vessels that once dominated the river in the 18th and 19th centuries. The idea emerged during a period when the Hudson was heavily polluted by industrial waste and sewage.

American folk singer Pete Seeger believed that if people could experience the river firsthand, they would be more motivated to protect it. The slogan was essentially to “build a boat to save the river.”

The vessel was launched in 1969 and has since carried more than half a million students, residents, and visitors on educational sails focused on ecology, navigation, and environmental stewardship. It is also considered the only remaining full-size example of a traditional Hudson River sloop.

Why is it Significant?

Clearwater played an important role in the modern environmental movement in New York. The organization became a leading advocate for cleaning up the Hudson River and drew national attention to issues including:

• PCB contamination from General Electric.
• Industrial pollution and sewage dumping.
• Protection of wetlands and river habitats.
• Clean water legislation and environmental enforcement.

The vessel itself was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 because of its role in environmental activism and education.