An activist group, Pride in Protest, has been banned from participating in the Sydney Mardi Gras parade due to social media posts criticizing Dayenu, a Jewish LGBTQ+ community group also scheduled to participate.
Controversial Posts Lead to Ban
Mardi Gras chief executive Jesse Matheson informed Pride in Protest on Friday of complaints regarding posts that described Dayenu as “pro-genocide” and alleged they “support genocide.” Matheson stated the posts, which were still online Saturday afternoon, raised “serious concerns” about compliance with parade rules and the event’s values.
Pride in Protest claims they were expelled from the parade after failing to respond within a six-hour timeframe to the concerns raised.
The group has labeled the decision an overreach and is calling for its reversal. “Pride in Protest refuses to comply with this authoritarian censorship that silences speaking out about genocide,” said Evan Gray, a spokesperson for the organization.
Criticism of the Decision
Amanda Cohn, an upper house MP for the NSW Greens, described the exclusion of Pride in Protest as “an extraordinary act of censorship.” She also criticized the inclusion of the Liberal Party, who have advocated for a review of the parade’s funding and continue to oppose LGBTQIA+ rights legislation.
Matheson confirmed Pride in Protest’s removal following a written warning. He emphasized that participation in the parade is contingent upon adherence to terms and conditions, including a code of conduct prohibiting harassment, bullying, vilification, or discriminatory conduct.
“Pride in Protest were asked to remove unacceptable public commentary levelled against another small community group marching in the parade,” Matheson said. “Their float marshal were also asked to confirm they had read and understood the parade terms & conditions before marching in the parade. Neither [of the] actions were undertaken.”
Matheson noted that Pride in Protest has previously marched under the banner of “No Pride In Genocide” and that Mardi Gras had previously accommodated that message. He reiterated that the current issue concerns conduct, including harassment of other participants, and a refusal to comply with agreed-upon terms and conditions.
Dayenu’s Response
A spokesperson for Dayenu stated the group was “deeply offended and hurt by statements and social media posts by Pride in Protest.” They clarified that Dayenu is not a Zionist organization and expressed concern that the term “Zionist” was being used as a substitute for “Jew” in a derogatory manner.
The spokesperson added that Dayenu believes Mardi Gras has become a more inclusive space with the enforcement of basic decency in interactions between participants and expressed a willingness to meet with Pride in Protest to find common ground and build a respectful relationship.
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