Anti-Israel group “Queers for Palestine” has largest contingent at Capital Pride parade

Queers for Palestine (Instagram) — Source: Instagram

After weeks of major institutional groups withdrawing their support for Ottawa Pride due to Capital Pride’s anti-Israel statements, the parade went ahead anyway, with many participants marching against the Jewish state.

Organizations and institutions in Ottawa withdrew their financial support and participation in the annual Capital Pride parade in August, including the Liberal Party, the University of Ottawa, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and several Jewish community groups.

During the parade, signs expressing a sense of solidarity with Palestinians and the LGBT+ community were seen, featuring the “Progress Pride flag” and the Palestinian flag side by side.

“The Ottawa Hospital and CHEO are not here, but the health care workers are,” read one sign. “We stand for Pride, not genocide.”

“Stonewall was an Intifada,” said another sign. “Pride is political.”

The Stonewall Riots were what many call the first pride parade. It began when police officers raided a mafia-run gay club in New York City in 1969.

Intifada means “shake off” in Arabic and is associated with uprisings and terrorist attacks on civilian locations in Israel. The deadly terrorist attack on October 7 is considered “Intifada” by anti-Israel activists.

I marched in the Capital Pride protest today with Queers for Palestine Ottawa, and it was truly powerful. I spoke to many who overwhelmingly found it refreshing to see the fake and corporate supporters of Pride. Pride is a protest. For human rights. Not Pride in genocide. photo.twitter.com/uLtlXgJkLF

— Yipeng Ge葛义朋 (@yipengGe) August 26, 2024

The Green Party, representatives of the public union CUPE and NDP MPP Joel Harden were photographed.

I just got back from the Capital Pride parade with photos.

I’ve never been good at estimating visitor numbers, but the numbers seemed high, if perhaps slightly lower than in previous years. photo.twitter.com/hIiNI4V5Bu

—Stuart Benson (@LeftHandStu) August 25, 2024

Harden carried a Palestinian flag and wore a rainbow-colored costume to the parade.

In May, Harden was among Ontario NDP caucus members who walked out of the parliament chamber in protest over the ban on keffiyehs, a Palestinian headscarf associated with anti-Israel terrorist groups.

Ottawa police told True North that Sunday’s parade went off without a hitch and no incidents were reported.

The Jewish Federation of Ottawa, a group that wrote a letter signed by six different Jewish community groups in Ottawa, was one of the first major institutions to withdraw from the parade. On Sunday, the Federation hosted its own pride event at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre.

The event, which attracted more than 250 guests, was organized in support of Ottawa’s LGBT+ community, which felt marginalized by Capital Pride’s anti-Israel stance.

“The event, held in partnership with the Greenberg Families Library, HaKibbutz, Hillel Ottawa, Jewish Family Services, Kehillat Beth Israel, Or Haneshamah, PJ Library Ottawa, the Soloway Jewish Community Centre and Temple Israel Ottawa, brought together a diverse and vibrant cross-section of the community,” the group said.

Attendees included Israeli Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed, MPP Lisa MacLeod, Deputy Mayor David Hill, and City Councillors Laine Johnson, Stephanie Plante and Cathy Currie, as well as CHEO CEO Alex Munter and members of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

Award-winning Jewish drag queen Adrianna Exposée was the featured performer on Sunday.

“The Pride Breakfast is a testament to the Jewish Federation of Ottawa’s commitment to creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for all individuals, regardless of their background or beliefs,” JFO said. “By bringing together community members, local leaders and international representatives, the event underscored the power of solidarity and the importance of standing together to support diversity.”