While James P. Peters III, a local fireworks wholesaler in a legal battle with the D.C. government, didn't go so far to draw that conclusion, he argued that the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs' (DCRA) decision to allow Costco Wholesale Corporation to sell fireworks while denying the same for 27 independent vendors — 22 of whom are Black — has allowed illegal, out-of-state fireworks to saturate the local market with products sounding much louder and shooting much higher than what D.C. law mandates.
The illegal fireworks come from out of state — like Pennsylvania and Delaware," said Peters, a 40-year fireworks industry veteran and owner of Capitol Works Fireworks, Inc.
On Saturday afternoon, hours before more allegedly illegal fireworks went off across the city, Peters, along with attorney Johnny Barnes, former D.C. Council member Harry Thomas Jr. and several local fireworks vendors, peacefully protested on the front steps of the Capitol Works warehouse.
As Costco, and the out-of-town vendors of illegal fireworks, met market demand unencumbered, one of the District's longest existing, majority-Black industry was at a standstill, particularly Capitol Works was working to become an importer of fireworks.
With local vendors out of the picture, illegal fireworks have garnered more attention from residents and local officials alike.
