The UF Homecoming Committee chose to allow parade floats supporting political parties as long as candidate names weren’t displayed.
On Friday, 146 floats participated in the parade, one of which was sponsored by the UF College Democrats and another by a group titled Make America Great Again. The guidelines for parade floats state applicants are not allowed to have campaign-driven floats, but they are allowed to have messages supporting a movement, said Matt Kessler, the director of the parade.
“It’s a thin line to some, but it’s the line we decided to draw,” the 20-year-old UF accounting junior said.
Kessler said he approved and inspected each float before the parade. One group that was denied a float in the parade came from Donald Trump’s campaign, he said, which wanted to drive a recreational vehicle with Trump’s name on the side.
UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes said she hasn’t heard any complaints about the floats represented.
“There are guidelines in place to make sure everyone has a fair playing field,” she said.
Sikes referred all questions to UF Homecoming and Gator Growl representatives, declining to comment on floats with a political message.
With both political parties in the parade, Jake Best, the president of Gators 4 Hillary, said he felt there was equal representation.
“As long as both sides were offered a fair opportunity, I don’t see a problem,” the 19-year-old UF journalism sophomore said.
Richard El-Rassy, the president of UF College Republicans, said the Homecoming Parade expresses the interests of students and community members.
“Exercising free speech, especially in a political context, is not something that should ever be discouraged,” the 20-year-old UF finance senior said.
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