Rolling Thunder, the annual event in Washington, D.C. where motorcyclists honor military members missing in action or who were prisoners of war, in May 2019 is expected to hold its last event, due to the costs and communication issues with the Pentagon Police Department.
The event started in 1988, with riders beginning near the Pentagon, in Virginia, and circling the National Mall, in Washington. But costs for the mass ride have risen. The group’s vice president, Pete Zaleski, said last year’s event cost approximately $200,000, including security, clean-up, and other expenses.
“If we could get relieved of some of those costs, we would certainly try to keep it going,” Zaleski said, according to NBC 4 Washington.
The last event is slated for May 26, 2019, and the group plans to instead hold regional events organized by their 90 chapters.
“It’s a demonstration ride, not a parade,” Zaleski said. “We’ve kind of lost the reason why we’re there.”
