CHALLENGES (2012-2014)
"Nothing comes clean with pinkwashing," 2012.
"Arbitration Decision B'Nai Brith v. Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA)," June 29 2012.
Ahead of Pride 2012, Queers Against Israeli Apartheid faced another attempted ban from Pride. B’nai B’rith lodged a complaint against QuAIA, which was settled by Pride Toronto’s Dispute Resolution Committee. B’nai B’rith argued that QuAIA’s name and messaging went against Pride Toronto’s policies, as well as the City of Toronto’s Anti-Discrimination Policy. They also accused QuAIA of hate speech, and utilized the video produced by Martin Gladstone as evidence. The committee found B’nai B'rith claims unbased, and determined that QuAIA’s activities were neither contrary to the policies of Pride Toronto, nor did they constitute hate speech.
During the trial itself, the lawyer representing B'nai B'rith conceded:
"that QUAIA's name and its messaging did not meet the standard required to be considered "hate speech", or "incitement to hatred, or to violence", pursuant to the Criminal Code of Canada. That being the case, section 6a) of Pride's Terms and Conditions for participants, cited above, has clearly not been breached by QuAIA, and that ground of objection need no longer be analyzed."
Later in September 2012, QuAIA faced another challenge to the City of Toronto’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, that once again attempted to ban the term Israeli Apartheid from appearing at Pride. The original request from the city’s Executive Committee describes withholding funding and grants from Pride, should Pride Toronto and their participants not comply with the Anti-Discrimination Policy. QuAIA's participation in Pride was contested far more for their potential in causing a loss of sponsorship for the event, rather than legitimate concerns over their messaging. QuAIA received support in the form of letters from individuals, as well as many local organizations in the city. Ultimately, the committee found no evidence for QuAIA having breached the city’s policy, and they were allowed to march at Pride in 2013.
"Review of City of Toronto's Policies on Anti-Discrimination," September 10, 2012
"Email from Suzanne Weiss," April 14 2013.
In 2014 Toronto was host to WorldPride. Queers Against Israeli Apartheid marched with messages condemning the practice of pinkwashing, and handed out materials to the crowd. QuAIA also had a page in the Queer newspaper Xtra during the week of WorldPride, illustrating the loss of Palestinian land since 1946. They also distributed condoms, alongside pamphlets encouraging a boycott of queer tourism to Israel.
"The TTC Map They Don't Want You to See," July 9 2014
"Fuck Apartheid!" 2014.