Raleigh’s annual Christmas parade, which draws around 60,000 attendees each year, has been denied a permit by The City of Raleigh this year after the death of Hailey Brooks, who died after being hit by a truck at the event in 2022.

The Raleigh Christmas Parade is not over forever— although its 79th anniversary has been cancelled by The City of Raleigh, there are optimistic talks of resuming the festivities in 2024.

The parents of Hailey Brooks have come forward with a statement opposing the decision, however. The disagreement from the Brooks via their attorney reads:

“The Brooks family is disappointed that the City of Raleigh chose to cancel its 2023 Raleigh Christmas Parade rather than adopt basic safety measures to protect the community. The City did not reach out to the family before making this decision. If consulted, the Brooks family would have urged the City to proceed with the Parade after implementing basic, common-sense safety protocols that should have been in place in 2022, such as those proposed in the Shine Like Hailey Parade Safety Act. It has been 10 months since Hailey Brooks was killed, and it is time for the City to honor her by enacting protections for the safety of this community – not by canceling the parade.”

The Shine Like Hailey Parade Safety Act (H633), which has yet to be passed, would require parade holders to inspect vehicles and ensure overall safety before holding an event. Hailey, who was dancing with her studio CC & Co. Dance Complex for the parade in 2022, was struck by an out-of-control vehicle driven by Landen Glass.

Many Raleigh residents, though some still coping with the shock of last year’s tragedy, are disappointed by the city’s decision to cancel this holiday tradition. Anticipating this reaction, Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin released this statement on Thursday:

“This was a difficult decision for many reasons. It was done out of respect for Hailey Brooks’, who was tragically killed last year, and her family. And with pending lawsuits and state legislation regarding parades, we felt this decision was best for the community. Our goal is to work with partners on events that celebrate the upcoming holidays, and ensure that we have appropriate rules and precautions in place for 2024, when we hope to continue this wonderful Raleigh tradition.”