Ottawa’s annual Pride parade was cancelled Sunday after being disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.
Parade organizers say members of a group called Queers for Palestine – Ottawa were marching in the Pride parade as invited guests when they decided to halt the procession.
Queers for Palestine said in a social media post that it halted the parade “with full support” from the grand marshal, but Capital Pride said the group was “insistent on misrepresenting our discussions.”
Some elected officials and other groups boycotted last year’s parade after Capital Pride released a statement expressing solidarity with Palestinians, but the statement has since been removed from the organization’s website.
A video posted online shows a protester calling for Capital Pride to recommit to solidarity with the pro-Palestinian cause and for elected officials who boycotted last year’s parade to apologize.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, who attended Sunday’s parade, says it was “deeply regrettable” that the group of activists chose to block the event.
Capital Pride announced the cancellation of the parade, which was scheduled to travel past Parliament Hill, shortly before 3 p.m.
