Pride Toronto Boots Anti-Israel Group

After weeks of controversy, Pride Toronto has decided to ban Queers Against Israeli Apartheid from all its events. QAII, whom some claim is an anti-Semitic organization, opposes the treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli government. They had marched in the parade for the last several years.

Some city leaders had threatened to pull funding for Pride Toronto if the group was allowed to participate, saying that to give money to Pride Toronto in that situation would be a violation of the city's anti-discrimination laws.

Queers Against Israeli Apartheid reacts to their exclusion:

For the first time in its 30-year history, Pride Toronto has banned an LGBT community group from the parade. The board of directors voted on Friday to ban the words ‘Israeli Apartheid’ from any Pride events, including the Pride parade, dyke march, and trans march – directly targeting the group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid. This follows a year of intense pressure from Toronto City Hall (one of Pride’s main funders) and Israel lobbyists, who claim that criticisms of the Israeli government amount to hate and discrimination. By caving to their demands, Pride Toronto has not only silenced the voices of queer Palestinians and human rights activists —they have set a dangerous precedent for free expression in our community.

RELATED: Earlier this month the Canadian federal government cut all funding to Pride Toronto, which may have made it harder for the them to resist pressure from the city over QAII.