Parade marred by Polish float exclusion

The day honoring and celebrating veterans who sacrificed their lives for our freedom took a different turn — literally — when the Polish National Home of Glen Cove’s float and its members were allegedly asked to leave during the middle of the Glen Cove Memorial Day Parade.

The Polish National Home, which has been a part of the Glen Cove community for over 100 years, said they followed parade protocol like they had in the past. Its float included a 94-year-old WWII veteran, a Coast Guard veteran, a Navy veteran, flag bearers, Miss Polonia, and was surrounded by a WWII military vehicle and marchers.

Anthony Anzalone, the Memorial Day parade committee chairman, did not witness the incident, but said Vincent Martinez, one of the parade marshals, was patrolling the sidelines and heard the Polish float playing music.

“As I was going up one of the streets, I heard music and I didn’t know where it came from,” Martinez said. “I pulled them over, I told the driver there is no music. I was so busy I didn’t even know who it was.” Martinez said that no music other than the marching bands was allowed during the parade so that all movement is synchronized.

“Up to this year we really didn’t have these rules in writing that the floats were not allowed to play music,” said Anzalone. “Some years it was allowed, some years it wasn’t.”

This year, the Polish Home marched between the Knights of Columbus and the Coast Guard. They sang “God Bless America,” “America the Beautiful,” and as they started a third song, Martinez pulled up in a golf cart and ordered them to leave. Gregory Strzelichowski, the Polish Home member driving the float’s truck, said Martinez did not offer an option to turn off the music.

Polish Home President Elizabeth Majewska said they tried briefly reasoning with Martinez, but he wouldn’t listen. “We then had to explain to police officers why we were exiting the parade,” said Strzelichowski. “It was an absolutely awkward thing for us to do.”

“The parade marshals did not throw the Polish contingent out of the parade,” countered Anzalone. “It was the Polish contingent that decided that they did not want to stop the music.”

The Polish Home filed a police report to document that Martinez did not allow them to march. “I can’t comment on the actions he took,” said Glen Cove Lieutenant Detective John Nagle. “He was the organizer of the parade, but it hasn’t risen to the level of criminality.”

Evelina Backiel, 18, a Glen Cove High School graduate and this year’s Miss Polonia, said the group was practicing 40 minutes before the parade began. “People heard us perform before the parade started, why didn’t they tell us then, why did they let it go on and then let him come and stop us in front of everyone?” she asked. “It was an exciting day for me to sing in the parade and be Miss Polonia and it was … cut short in an embarrassing way.”

Majewska said at this time they have not heard from the committee. “We want an explanation, we want an apology, and we want redress,” said Strzelichowski.

Members of the Polish Home said other floats played music, and they felt singled out. Martinez said he was unaware of other floats with music, but he would have told them to turn it off, too — if he had noticed them. Martinez also said no bias was involved: His wife is Polish and he attends a Polish church. “I’m sorry all this happened, it wasn’t intentional, I was just doing what is right,” said Martinez. “I’ve been on that committee 17 years and I’ve never had this problem.”

For the 2018 parade, several procedures will be changed. Anzalone said the committee would allow floats playing patriotic music. Additionally, participating organizations with floats will be sent a form to sign, asking them to comply with all rules.