The U.S. Coast Guard said yesterday (Saturday) that it removed a boat that was participating in a sailboat parade celebrating Independence Day in New York Harbor, for displaying what it described as 'messages of a political nature.'

The U.S. Coast Guard reported that a boat belonging to the environmental organization 'Hudson River Sloop Clearwater' was forced to leave the 'Sail Forth 250' parade in New York Harbor. The boat displayed signs reading 'Save the Clean Water Act,' 'Indigenous Rights, Racial Justice, Climate Solutions,' according to Reuters news agency.

According to the Coast Guard, participants in the event agreed to refrain from displaying political messages or statements, adding that it enforced the agreement on behalf of the organizers of the 'Sail Forth' event. The Coast Guard stated: 'The owner of the sloop Clearwater was contacted and asked to remove the displayed message or leave the sailing parade... but he refused to remove the message.'

For her part, Jane Benson, director of outreach and communications for the 'Hudson River Sloop Clearwater' organization, disputed this account. She said the Coast Guard did not ask to remove the signs, but rather ordered the boat to leave the sailing course or the crew would face arrest. Benson said: 'We do not consider advocating for clean water to be a political message... People of various political persuasions, even with no political affiliation, are fighting in different ways for clean water in the United States.'

The 'Sail Forth 250' was one of the events organized by the 'Freedom 250' group, established by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to plan celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. More than 40 large sailboats from 20 countries participated in the event, sailing across New York Harbor from an area near Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to the George Washington Bridge. According to the website of the environmental organization 'Hudson River Sloop Clearwater,' its mission is 'to protect the Hudson River by fostering a multi-generational community of river advocates through education, advocacy, sailing, and music.'