Fete nationale parade organizers apologize for float pushed by black teenagers

MONTREAL – Organizers of the Fete nationale parade are apologizing to people who were upset by the sight of black teenagers pushing a float carrying a white singer.

Footage of the float from Saturday’s parade was posted on social media and prompted some people to link the images to slavery and spoke to a lack of diversity in the parade.

The organizing committee says it never intended to create racist images.

Originally, Maxime Laporte, head of the Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montreal, which organized the event, rejected the charges of racism as “unfair” and “exaggerated.”

He said it was pure chance that black teens were pulling the float.

The teenagers were recruited from a local high school and the head coach of the school’s football team suggested the students were happy to take part.