Brighton & Hove Pride received a list of demands from Queers for Palestine. Here is the letter of demands Queers for Palestine sent to us with our initial responses inserted. We print this here in full for openness and transparency.
We are listening to all communities raising concerns about our activities and aims. We are committed to constructive dialogue with all.
We continue to call for an end of violence and the protection of all innocent people affected by the conflict.
No Pride in Genocide (Version 2)
Received Friday, July 5, 2024
We are Brighton Queers for Palestine, a grassroots collective of Brighton based LGBTQ+ individuals who stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine struggle for freedom, justice, and equality. Mobilising & organising the local community in support of Palestinians worldwide.
In the words of Marsha P Johnson:
“There is no Pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.”
The roots of Pride are in riot and Queer anger, protesting for our rights and our lives. Brighton Pride continues to give to the community by raising significant funds for local LGBTQ+ groups and needs to be part of the legacy of Queer activism and solidarity with marginalised groups.
Queer Palestinian people have always been leaders of their own resistance against Israeli apartheid. Over 38,000 people have been killed and now ten months into the genocide, Queer Palestinian groups continue to be active in their resistance against the Israeli occupation. We use our privilege to stand in solidarity with them (Read their writing here: https://queersinpalestine.noblogs.org/post/2023/11/19/no-pride-with-genocide/)
Pride must publicly reject “pinkwashing,” where LGBTQ+ rights are used to legitimise human rights abuses, including the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. This erases Queer resistance in Palestine and fuels racism and Islamophobia. We stand firmly against all forms of pinkwashing, the corporatisation of pride, and the invitation of sponsors involved in human rights abuses, genocide, border violence and colonialism.
We call on Brighton Pride to fight the pinkwashing of genocide and apartheid and do the right thing. We cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of others as well as those within our own community. The horror that Palestinians face is exacerbated by silence.
Silence = Death
We are calling for a Boycott of Brighton Pride unless these demands are met.
Our demands are as follows:
Q4P DEMAND 1) PUBLICALLY AND FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE
As an organisation rooted in queer and intersectional liberation and freedom, Pride should be willing to publicly and formally recognise the acknowledgment of the genocide, ethnic cleansing and displacement in Palestine. This would be a simple and effective starting point in Brighton Pride committing to standing in solidarity with Palestinians.
Statement from Brighton & Hove Pride
We condemn in the strongest terms the acts of violence, death and destruction in Gaza. We demand an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages to protect civilians and prevent genocide. The international community must unite to challenge Israel on the use of excessive force. All those responsible for acts against humanity in the region must be held to account under international law. We demand an end to the war and for political leaders to work towards a peaceful solution without further bloodshed.
We equally firmly condemn the rise of antisemitism in Europe, recognising the extreme danger this poses now and never forgetting past atrocities so we ensure the horrors of history are not repeated.
We must stand up against prejudice in all its forms to protect innocent people at home and around the world.
We also offer our heartfelt sympathy to all those in Brighton & Hove affected by the Gaza conflict as we recognise the impact of the international events on the many diverse communities in the city. Brighton & Hove, as a welcoming city, is a place where antisemitism, islamophobia and all hate crimes must be denounced and rejected.
Pride Action: Whist Pride have already made a public statement we are currently seeking advice on further actions.
Q4P DEMAND 2) DROP COCA-COLA AND ITS SUBSIDIARY COMPANY COSTA COFFEE AS SPONSORS
Following the strategy and in solidarity with the Boycott Divest Sanction (BDS) movement, as well as the boycott of Coca-Cola around the world, we are calling for a targeted boycott of Coca-Cola Company and its subsidiaries and demand that the company is dropped as a sponsor of Brighton Pride for its complicity in genocide and apartheid through its investments, profiteering and operations on illegally occupied Palestinian land.
Brighton & Hove Pride statement: Commercial partners
We referred to the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) list* when looking at potential sponsorship partners. We respect the views of all members of our community and the right to protest and boycott brands.
Like many well-known community organisations and UK Pride events, the reality is we rely on sponsorship to deliver our Pride aims and activities. Brighton & Hove Pride is a not-for-profit community interest company and receives no funding from our local authority.
As part of our commitment to our core values, we have declined sponsorship and participation from brands applying to take part in our community parade to make sure the parade remains two thirds community led. This is the most public and visual element of our Pride activity.
We review all sponsorship annually and we continue to work for positive change with partners and allies who have supported the LGBTQ+ community over many years. It’s a delicate balance and, while we would never claim to get everything right, we are always open to dialogue with our groups and we do all we can to gain input and feedback from all our communities to consider best options.
*https://bdsmovement.net/act-now-against-these-companies-profiting-from-genocide
Pride action: As part of our annual review, Pride agrees to review all partnerships and seek further clarification before entering into new partnerships.
Q4P DEMAND 3) DEMAND THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX DISCLOSES & DIVEST FROM INVESTMENTS TIED TO HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
We demand that Brighton Pride pressures the UoS via public letter into disclosing & divesting from its investments in the ‘defense’ industry & corporations profiting from human rights abuses. If UoS is not willing to disclose and divest from their investments which are complicit in genocide, we demand that they are removed as a sponsor and not allowed to partake in the march.
As above, we review all sponsorship annually and we continue to work for positive change with partners and allies who have supported the LGBTQ+ community over many years.
We will meet with the University of Sussex as part of our annual review and planning. If you would like us to request a meeting on your behalf with the University then we would try to action this for you.
Pride Action: Willingness to arrange meeting with UoS and Q4P and for Pride to have conversations with UoS around participation in 2025.
Q4P DEMAND 4) BAN POLITICAL PARTIES
Keep Pride focused on LGBTQ+ rights. We demand that all political parties are banned from all official events, including the parade and from being stall holders. We have witnessed harmful transphobic rhetoric & policies from Labour and Conservatives that have had devastating impact on the lives of trans people in the UK. Maintaining political impartiality ensures genuine representation.
Brighton & Hove Pride statement: Political Parties in Pride Community Parade
Brighton & Hove Pride is committed to campaigning for equality for all our LGBTQ+ family. At the moment our trans siblings particularly are the target of a hate campaign and we resolutely stand with them in the barrage of abuse. Our support for the TNBI (Trans, Non-Binary and Intersex) community runs longs and deep.
More than 130 groups took part in last year’s parade, including local Labour, Green and Liberal Democratic groups. All political groups taking part in the community parade are from constituency parties and LGBTQI+ member networks – people who live and work in our city.
Brighton & Hove is well known for its support of the LGBTQI+ community and local politicians have been vocal in this. Brighton & Hove Pride also works closely with the local council and benefits from this positive relationship. Our local elected councillors include lesbian, gay and trans members.
The local political landscape is very different from other parts of the country. We recognise and appreciate political support from within our LGBTQI+ community and our political allies. Our position on welcoming local politicians to the Brighton & Hove Pride Parade is very much based on our local experience.
While we are confident and comfortable in our stance, we will continue to hold all politicians and political parties to account when needed as we continue press for equality for all.
If you would like us to request meetings on your behalf with local politicians then we would try to action this for you.
(For info, Local Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party groups are the only political groups marching this year)
Pride action: Arrange meeting with local council members for equalities and possibly MPs and agree a national policy with UK Prides.
Q4P DEMAND 5) NO COPS AT PRIDE
End the presence of cops at Pride. We demand that Brighton Pride ends its partnership and work with Sussex Police, Pride City Angels must reject the support by Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner. We demand that cops not march in the parade.
The police do not keep us safe, we keep us safe. The first Pride was a riot in resistance to police violence. It is the police who have historically criminalised and brutalised Queer, Black and Brown communities. The police are institutionally racist, queerphobic and sexist, their presence at Pride makes Pride unsafe for our community.
There are better, Queer-run organisations to turn to as alternatives for welfare, security, de-escalation and harm reduction. Safe Only Ltd is one example.
Police at Pride: Brighton & Hove Pride statement on Current position
Brighton & Hove Pride is a citywide event that can only go ahead each year working in collaboration with a range of agencies including the emergency services and the council. Without the co-operation and support of these agencies, it would not be possible to put on the Pride events in a safe environment.
The emergency services taking part in the Pride Community Parade are the organisations’ LGBTQI+ workers forums and allies.
Last year Brighton & Hove Pride joined with the Peter Tatchell Foundation to lobby the Chief Constable of Sussex Police to issue an apology** for “historical prejudice and ill-treatment directed towards LGBTQ+ people in Sussex” and made a commitment to preventing discrimination in the future.
If you would like us to request a meeting on your behalf with the Chief Constable or the Police and Crime Commissioner then we would try to action this for you.
Pride action: Arrange meeting with Sussex Police LGBTQ network if agreeable by Q4P. Work with all Prides collectively to agree policy to take forward to Pride 2025
Q4P DEMAND 6) REVISE CODE OF ETHICS
We invite and call for Brighton Pride to work continually with Brighton Queers for Palestine along with other local Queer grassroots and community groups on creating transparent and concrete ethical standards with accountability mechanisms for all Pride activities, focusing on human rights, transparency, and ethical conduct. This will include:
– A meeting disclosing information about the sponsors of this year’s Pride with Brighton Pride with the minutes, and a commitment to look into more ethical sponsorship for this and future years of Pride. This information should be shared during the meeting and be made available to the public.
– Commit to only platforming musicians and artists for Pride who do not have evidenced ties to, Zionism, Islamophobia, and Racism. Time should be committed to researching artists before booking them.
- For example, Billy Porter who has made several problematic comments regarding the genocide in Palestine (can add quotes from reference document if needed).
- Cheryl Cole from Girls Aloud who has been found guilty of assaulting a POC toilet attendant and has signed support for Israel open letters in the past.
- And Bjorn Again who have shown no support for Palestine and have regularly performed in Israel.
We are open to further discussion about a Code of Ethics and agreeing to make time for the conversation after this year’s Pride, due to arrangements for this year’s events being advanced and confirmed.
Commercially sensitive information cannot be shared externally to Pride as this risks the viability of the events.
As with partnerships, we review all our activity annually and we continue to work for positive change with partners and allies who have supported the LGBTQ+ community over many years.
Action: Annual review of partnerships and artists booking procedures.
Q4P – As an organisation rooted in queer and intersectional liberation and freedom, Pride should be willing to publicly and formally recognising the acknowledgment of the genocide, ethnic cleansing and displacement in Palestine.
Queer solidarity cannot be transactional. Human rights should never be conditional. We will not allow Queer rights to be used to launder corporate reputations, or as a weapon of colonisation and to dehumanise oppressed people.
Pride provides local support for LGBTQI+ organisations all year round
Brighton & Hove Pride’s fundraising provides essential income for local LGBTQI+ groups, charities and organisations. Many of our city’s LGBTQI+ community activities rely on the grants they receive from Pride’s fundraising efforts to continue their vital work all year round and to start much needed new ventures.
In the last eight years, since the current CIC started managing Pride in the city, more than £1.3m has been donated to good causes. The money is distributed via grants managed by the Brighton Rainbow Fund, which is registered with the Charity Commission with a remit to receive donations to distribute as grants to LGBTQI+ and HIV groups and organisations in Brighton & Hove.
Calling for a boycott of Pride risks the fundraising that is so vital for local groups. The Pride fundraising is more important for providing essential financial support in our city at time when other funding avenues have been withdrawn.