Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is accusing a city of deliberately misinterpreting his administration’s anti-DEI legislation after officials announced they were canceling two popular annual events, including a decades-old St. Patrick’s Day parade. The Florida governor then took to social media to rant against the city for complying with the law he signed.
The dispute erupted after Delray Beach announced it would no longer organize, fund, or promote its St. Patrick’s Day parade or Pride event in 2027, citing restrictions under a new state law approved by DeSantis. The legislation, Senate Bill 1134, prohibits local governments from funding or promoting certain activities involving race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It takes effect on January 1, 2027.
DeSantis pushed back against the city’s interpretation in a November 14 post on X, accusing officials of using the legislation to make a political statement. “Delray Beach is engaging in ‘malicious compliance,'” he wrote. “What they are doing is not mandated by Florida law. It’s just an attempt to make a political point — a point that legacy media will no doubt try to amplify.”
The governor added that similar “stunts” had happened before, concluding, “Rinse and repeat.” However, his comments did little to calm critics, many of whom argued that the city was simply following the rules his administration had established.
Critics Say DeSantis Is Upset With the Law’s Unintended Consequences
The decision has drawn particular attention because Delray Beach’s St. Patrick’s Day parade has been a community tradition since 1968, regularly attracting thousands of visitors. The city’s announcement has also led to questions about why an Irish heritage celebration could fall under restrictions originally promoted as a crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Social media users quickly turned the controversy into a criticism of DeSantis and the legislation. “You wrote a stupid [expletive] law and this is the result of that. Own it,” one X user responded to the governor. Another commenter questioned whether the legislation treated different ethnic groups equally, writing, “Are you saying that the Irish are a protected minority, but the others aren’t? Please explain.”
On other social media platforms, one viral commenter argued, “Can’t pick and choose where you selectively want to enforce the law, Ron. Sounds like it was a poorly written law.” Another added, “Malicious compliance is still compliance Ronny. It’s the bill that is defective, not the city council,” while a commenter joked, “You [expletive] up [expletive] and it’s coming to bite you in the [expletive]. Live with it.”
Meanwhile, Delray Beach officials have indicated that privately funded celebrations could offer a way forward. City Manager Terrence Moore previously said the city was open to private sponsorship for the parade.
In any case, DeSantis maintains that the city is making a political statement rather than following a legal requirement. However, the controversy has put his anti-DEI legislation under renewed scrutiny, with critics arguing that its restrictions could reach traditions beyond the events its supporters originally intended to target.
