Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman was prevented from speaking at the Bronx Dominican Day Parade on Sunday. State Assemblywoman Amanda Septimo stated that Blakeman, currently the Nassau County executive, was denied the opportunity to address the crowd due to his association with former President Donald Trump and rhetoric she deemed inappropriate.
During a portion of the celebration on the Grand Concourse, which included remarks from Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Blakeman was not given a microphone. Some attendees reportedly called out, urging that he be allowed to speak.
"This is exactly what life under socialism is like," Blakeman said in a statement. "Where free speech is prohibited, and only one party gets to communicate with the public." He added that he had been invited by leaders within the Dominican community to speak and criticized what he called "Democrat socialists" for not wanting "the truth to be told that their policies will make people more miserable than they already are."
Septimo acknowledged her role in blocking Blakeman, stating, "I said no" and kept the microphone from him. She explained her decision by saying, "I don’t think it was appropriate for him to speak before a crowd full of immigrants, someone who has spewed such rhetoric to make remarks at the parade." Septimo further commented, "He could have been running for dog catcher. I would never platform someone like that."
Septimo specifically linked her decision to Blakeman's political stances, noting, "Bruce Blakeman is someone who has described himself as pro-ICE, and for everything the Trump administration represents." The longtime parade organizer, Felipe Febles, deferred to Septimo on the decision regarding Blakeman's remarks.
Despite the incident, Blakeman stated he had a positive experience meeting members of the Dominican community and celebrating their contributions. His opponent, Gov. Kathy Hochul, was not present at the event, having attended fundraisers elsewhere.