The veterans advocacy group Rolling Thunder has announced that their annual motorcycle rally through Washington, D.C. in 2019 will be their last. The final ride, expected to attract over one million riders and viewers in the capital, will be held on May 26.
The rally had become too expensive and federal agencies were making it difficult to organize, Vietnam veteran and executive director of Rolling Thunder Artie Muller told NPR.
“We’re just sick and tired of getting the shaft from them,” said Muller who also penned a letter in June to the local chapters of Rolling Thunder.
“Despite planning meetings, agreements and exorbitant permit charges fees these D.C. agencies do everything they can to divert and complicate our event,” said Muller, who was critical of the Defense Department and the U.S. Park Police.
The Washington Post, on the other hand, reported that the group had a problem with the guidelines of Department of Defense which prompted a ban on its merchandise sales and restriction on its sponsors. There were also issues about the parking lots at Pentagon where the veterans assembled for the ride as some people were denied entry into the venue and had to leave at the last rally.
There is a cost of over $200,000 to host the event, Vice President of Rolling Thunder Pete Zaleski told Military Times. “It really has exploded to beyond what we can support,” said Zaleski.
According to Zaleski, they will keep 90 chapters functional in 33 states, which they will be supporting so that they coordinate their own rides on a smaller scale. “The group is not going under, and our message is not going away. We’re just not going to be doing it in Washington anymore,” said Zaleski.
Sue Gough, the Pentagon spokesperson, in a statement to NPR, said that the department is prepared to support the 2019 Rolling Thunder ride as they have done for the past 31 years. “The department supports the peaceful, lawful exercise of American citizens’ First Amendment rights, and remains focused on ensuring the safety and security of the demonstrators and the Pentagon Reservation,” said Gough.
The rally became popular over the years after the first bike ride in 1988 in which around 2,500 motorcyclists drove across the Memorial Bridge of Washington, D.C. According to Rolling Thunder, the event was the world’s largest motorcycle event on a single day.