Manhattan’s usually colorful Puerto Rican Day Parade was muted Sunday by black and gray flags and t-shirts commemorating those who died in Hurricane Maria and protesting the federal government’s alleged dismal response to the devastation.

The dark items “symbolize that America has left Puerto Rico behind,” said Natasha Colón, 28, who drove up from Washington, DC, with a friend to watch the parade for the first time.

Parade-goer Judi Figueroa, 40, said that although there were still plenty of lively floats and dancers Sunday, this year’s parade was more subdued than in the past because so many Puerto Ricans, including two of her friends, were affected by Hurricane Maria.

“It’s not so pumped up as last year,” said the office manager from Manhattan, who watched on the sidelines with her daughter, Lilli.

“Two of my friends lost their houses. They live in Georgia now,” she said.

Figueroa added that she isn’t sorry the parade was toned down.

“It’s good that there’s protest,” Figueroa said as some in the crowd wore black t-shirts with the number 4,645 on them, referring to the hurricane’s estimated death toll according to a recent Harvard study as opposed to the government’s official count, 64.

“It helps inform the children about the history,” she said.

Moments before starting his walk in the annual Fifth Avenue parade, Gov. Cuomo charged that a weak federal response to the disaster stemmed from an inherent racism coming from the White House.

“It’s a symptom of a federal government that believes in a sense of division … that people of different skins and different languages are an offense to this nation,” the governor said.

“Months later and they’re still in a state of denial. We’re in the state of New York, and we don’t accept your denial.”