Ottawa mayor refuses to apologize to "Queers for Palestine" after protest disrupted Pride parade

The Mayor of Ottawa, Mark Sutcliffe, said he will not apologize nor respond to the demands of the group «Queers for Palestine – Ottawa», after activists blocked the route of the «Capital Pride» parade on Sunday, leading to the event's cancellation. Sutcliffe described what happened as an «inappropriate protest» and blamed the disruption of the parade for depriving thousands of participants of a major annual celebratory event in the city. 

The group stopped the parade near downtown Ottawa, raising flags and banners, and presented a series of demands including organizing a «town hall» on the boycott of Israel (BDS), adopting the academic and cultural boycott (PACBI), in addition to demanding that the mayor and elected officials apologize for boycotting pride events in 2024. 

The controversy extends from last year's disputes, when the mayor and major institutions—including the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and Ottawa Hospital—withdrew from «Capital Pride» events after the organizers published a statement of solidarity with Palestinians, which sparked widespread debate and led to successive withdrawals by sponsors and participants. 

As of Monday evening, Sutcliffe emphasized his commitment to supporting the 2SLGBTQ+ community and freedom of expression, stressing that blocking and disrupting the parade «is not the right way to protest». The organizers have not yet announced an alternative date for the parade or a mechanism to address the demands raised during the sit-in.