MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) — The NAACP marched in the Greater Muskegon Memorial Day Parade Monday after months of controversy surrounding a short-lived ban on political groups.

Parade Committee Chairman Steve Allen said the volunteer board wanted to avoid political statements, which they said previously took attention away from the veterans during the parade.

“It became political, I think,” Allen said.

But after pressure from the public and a letter from the NAACP’s legal counsel, the committee reversed its decision.

“We’re glad that we’re here,” NAACP Muskegon County Branch President Eric Hood said. “We shouldn’t have been excluded, but it’s good that we are here.”

The parade started with a flyover and ended in Hackley Park. Dozens of veterans, including several WWII vets attended the event. Lefty Backer, a WWII corpsman told News 8 that Memorial Day parades are “emotional.”