‘Liberation for all’ -- Reactions mixed to Halifax Pride’s commitment to solidarity with Palestine

[Sid Shniad]

The Chronicle Herald (Metro)                                                                                                                                 July 20, 2024

‘Liberation for all’

Reactions mixed to Halifax Pride’s commitment to solidarity with Palestine

WARREN D'SILVA
warren...@saltwire.co 

ERIC WYNNE ■ THE CHRONICLE HERALD FILE

Participants march in the 2022 Halifax Pride Parade and Festival. The 

parade is set to take place this weekend in Halifax.

Halifax Pride 2024 is set to be a landmark event for the 2LGBTQIA+ community in Halifax.

Spring Garden Road businesses have already started showing their support with flags in storefronts. The tent for Halifax Pride is being pitched. Activists, members and allies from the community have been amplifying the movement on social media. After it was cancelled last year, they are determined to make it an event to remember this year.

On July 5, the Halifax Pride official website issued a statement:

“Halifax Pride has recently reaffirmed our commitment to solidarity with the Palestinian Liberation movement condemning the genocide of Palestinian people and ongoing military occupation of their land,” it read.

“There is no 2SLGBTQIA+ liberation without liberation for all.”

Reaction has been mixed. Luca Adrienne is happy that Pride and politics are coming together this year.

“Any step to show solidarity is a good step,” they said on social media.

“We cannot be putting (on) an event and celebrating one community without acknowledging another's crying for help.”

The 2LGBTQIA+ community has always gone above and beyond to support others, they said.

OPPOSING VIEW

Liam Brandes is a student, a member of the 2LGBTQIA+ community and a practicing Jew.

“I find it ironic that they are even allowing the Palestine (protesters to) come out to our parade,” Brandes said.

"These people are here asking for liberation but are they even allies?”

Brandes said that queer people in Palestine are always under threat.

Scholar Timea Spitka stated that in Gaza, coming out is a "death sentence" because police don't act against queer phobic violence.

Not having recognized same sex marriage, having anti-discrimination laws in employment, inability to adopt or conceive a child via IVF, join the military are some of the limitations that members of the 2LGBTQIA+ community are subjected to in Palestine.

WHY INVOLVE POLITICS?

Ibrahim Ali, an ally of the community who works in an eatery in the north end, wonders about tying the war to Pride.

“Why are we trying to politicize everything?”

The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict. This conflict is one that is about land and self-determination within the territory of the former Mandatory Palestine.

One outcome of connecting Pride to the conflict in Palestine is the call to ban sponsors like TD Bank, which have ties to Israel.

In a bid to be transparent, Halifax Pride released a statement highlighting the support from TD.

“In the fall, Halifax Pride renewed agreements with multiple businesses to fund parts of this year's festival. This included an agreement with TD, who are on the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) list. While this agreement has already happened, we can commit to transparency around where this money was spent this fiscal year and how it impacted our overall budget, as well as committing to investing in examining creative funding options for next Pride through active community dialogue. “

The statement said Halifax Pride’s budget is $529,000 for the 2024 fiscal year (from September to August. “TD’S sponsorship covers nine per cent of expected expenses.” Ali’s take?

“Halifax Pride seems to be biting off more than they can chew, and I wish it was just a regular parade with the floats, music, food dance and all that good stuff.”