Brutus Buckeye no longer plans to attend the Columbus Pride Parade and Festival this weekend.
The Ohio State University coaching staff decided to withdraw Brutus' participation in the festival due to heightened safety concerns following the mass shooting at a gay nightclub Sunday in Orlando that left 49 dead and 53 injured.
In a post on its Facebook page Wednesday, the Columbus Ohio Gay Lesbian Ally Hockey Association (COGHALA) said the Buckeye coaching staff provided a two-sentence explanation for the change in plans.
Had Brutus attended, Columbus would have made history as the first Pride Parade to host a Big 10 and Division 1 mascot from a major university, according to COGHALA.