There’s little more American than the freedom of speech, and at yesterday’s Fourth of July Palisades Parade, plenty of participants took advantage of the place and moment to practice it.

Beyond the usual civic organizations and elected officials — Mayor Vince Gray, D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown and Councilmembers Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), Michael Brown (I-At-Large), Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large), David Catania (I-At-Large), Vincent Orange (D-At-Large) and Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) marched — a number of groups marched to draw attention to their cause.

Residents of the neighborhoods surrounding American University registered their continuing displeasure with the university’s expansion plans, while a number of different organizations marched to promote D.C. voting rights, self-determination and statehood. One woman protested plans to bring online gambling to the District — notably an unpopular proposal to allow gaming in public buildings like neighborhood libraries — while a large group of pregnant women promoted midwifery.

The D.C. GOP may have raised the most eyebrows by walking the length of MacArthur Boulevard demanding that embattled Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr. (D-Ward 5) resign in the wake of allegations that he used city funds to buy himself a luxury SUV. The GOP contingent was joined by local Republican star and Ward 1 member of the D.C. State Board of Education Patrick Mara, who the party claims is the highest elected official to call for Thomas’ resignation.

Of the city’s unpopular politicians, Gray and Brown did their best to attach positive symbolism to themselves. (According to this 1987 Post article, Marion Barry once tried the same.) Gray wore a D.C. 41 t-shirt, commemorating his arrest alongside 40 others at a voting rights demonstration on the Hill in April, while Brown broke out the old mail truck that replaced his controversial fully-loaded Lincoln Navigator.