Pride parade in Canada’s capital CANCELED after disruption by ‘Queers for Palestine’
Roberto Wakerell-Cruz
Ottawa’s Pride parade was called off Sunday after a pro-Palestinian activist group blocked the route and refused to move, forcing organizers to shut down the event. The group, Queers for Palestine, Ottawa (Q4P), said in a press release that it halted the march “with the permission” of the parade’s grand marshal, reports the CBC.
Protestors gathered near Parliament Hill, chanting “This is what a village looks like!” in reference to Capital Pride’s 2025 theme, “We are a village.” Q4P presented a list of demands to Capital Pride, including that the organization host a “boycott, divestment and sanctions” town hall and adopt a permanent cultural and academic boycott of Israel.
The group also called for Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and other elected officials to apologize for boycotting Capital Pride in 2024 and to “stand with us and all oppressed peoples, including Palestinians.” In its press release, Q4P said, “We are in the parade today to affirm very clearly that our Pride is not for sale, and that 2SLGBTQIA+ communities will not accept sponsors and elected officials dictating what we stand for, how we celebrate ourselves, and how we claim our space.”