Pride Toronto backs down on decision to censor group at 2010 Pride Parade
For Immediate Release – June 23, 2010
TORONTO – Queers Against Israeli Apartheid congratulates Toronto’s LGBT community for successfully reversing censorship at the 2010 Pride Parade. Pride Toronto announced today that it would not censor the term ‘Israeli apartheid’ from the parade.
“This is a victory for the Palestine solidarity movement, which has faced censorship and bullying tactics from the Israel lobby for far too long,” says Tim McCaskell, a member of Queers Against Israeli Apartheid. “The Israel lobby learned a tough lesson today about our community’s proud history of standing up to censorship and human rights abuses.”
In May, Pride Toronto had announced that it would censor the term in response to pressure from the City of Toronto and Israel lobby groups. In response, Dr. Alan Li rejected the title of grand marshal for the 2010 parade and Jane Farrow refused her appointment as Honoured Dyke.
The decision to censor Queers Against Israeli Apartheid was met with widespread condemnation from the LGBT community, including Olympic gold medalist Mark Tewksbury, the 519 Church Street Community Centre, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and 23 current and former Pride honourees, who returned their awards in protest.
– 30 –
Support rabble today!
We’re so glad you stopped by! Thanks for consuming rabble content this year.
rabble.ca is 100% reader and donor funded, so as an avid reader of our content, we hope you will consider gifting rabble with a donation during our summer fundraiser today.
Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet.
Become a rabble rouser — donate to rabble.ca today.
Nick Seebruch, editor
