Members of Ga’ava and the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs march in the 2024 Montreal Pride parade. Fierté Montréal has reversed its ban on Jewish groups marching in this year’s parade. (Photo courtesy of Carlos A. Godoy/Ga’ava)
Organizers of Montreal’s Pride parade have reversed their decision to ban Jewish groups from participating in the annual event.
The Montreal Gazette reported Fierté Montréal on July 30 informed Ga’ava, a group that is affiliated with the Toronto-based Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs, it could not march in the Aug. 10 parade.
Ga’ava in a statement said it and the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs “were deeply shocked to learn today from Montreal Pride that LGBTQ+ Jews and their allies will be excluded from the 2025 Pride Parade.” Fierté Montréal earlier in the day in its own statement condemned “the ongoing genocide in Gaza, expresses solidarity with the Palestinian people, and calls for the lives of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in Palestine, and everywhere in the world — to be respected and protected.”
“Fierté Montréal’s position on violence of any kind inflicted upon marginalized populations or communities — especially 2SLGBTQIA+ communities — has always been clear: we denounce all forms of violence, we amplify the voices of queer communities who, on our stages and in our spaces, express their support for oppressed peoples, particularly the Palestinian people, and their opposition to genocide,” said Fierté Montréal. “The work of Fierté Montréal is rooted in a long-standing movement to fight oppression, and we acknowledge the pain expressed by queer communities in Montréal since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza.”
“Accordingly, and in line with our zero-tolerance policy for hate speech and incitement to violence, and to ensure that the Fierté Montréal Festival remains a safe and celebratory space for everyone, the board of directors of Fierté Montréal has made the decision to deny participation in the Pride Parade to organizations spreading hateful discourse,” it added. “This measure is taken in the context of a complex geopolitical situation and stems from our commitment to preserving the emotional and physical safety of our communities.”
Five Canadian MPs are among those who sharply criticized Fierté Montréal’s decision.
Bernard Truong, the group’s former board chair, resigned on Aug. 4. The Montreal Gazette on Aug. 5 spoke with his successor, Marlot Marleau, about the decision to reinvite Ga’ava and the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs to participate in the parade.
“We realized the decision was seen as excluding the entire Jewish community. That was never the intent,” Marleau told the Montreal Gazette. “We’re sorry for making them feel unwelcome.”
“LGBTQ+ Jews are happy that Montreal Pride walked back its politically motivated decision to oust the Jewish community from the Pride Parade,” said Ga’ava President Carlos A. Godoy on Tuesday in a statement he sent to the Washington Blade. “Either you’re inclusive or you’re not. LGBTQ+ Jews have to bring their full authentic selves to the parade — we can’t ask Jews to separate their identities and attachments. LGBTQ+ Jews belong in Pride parades.”
