"A group of Toronto city councillors will file a motion
on 28 May to cut the grant to Toronto LGBT Pride unless the organisers agree to
ban the participation of a pro-Palestinian activist group, Queers Against Israeli Apartheid
(QuAIA). They also want to ban the use of the phrase 'Israeli apartheid'." "The
co-chair of Queer Ontario, Nick Mulé, believes councillors Di Giorgio and
Pasternak are more interested in censorship opinions than protecting rights.
It's inaccurate to describe the dispute as one of "competing rights," he argues,
because the right to religious freedom doesn't mean the right to suppress other
people's viewpoints. "They are trying to shut down dialogue and infringe on
freedom of expression," he says. "QuAIA is not a people-hating group. Their
message is a critical analysis of political policy. If we don't have the freedom
to critique policy, then we are really in trouble as a society." "Their demand
for a ban is straightforward censorship. It's a direct attack on free speech and
the right to protest - and, some people might say, borderline
blackmail." (thanks Amir)