The Spanish branch of Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) participated in the LGBTIQ+ Critical Pride event in Madrid on 28 June.
The BDS group in Spain stated their decision to participate in the Critical Pride was because “capitalism, patriarchy, colonialism and Islamophobia go hand in hand and have become the face of a same coin within the construction of the global phenomena of homo-nationalism”.
Their press release continued, advocating the need to support the queer Palestinian community which “continues resisting occupation, colonisation and Israeli apartheid”.
When calling to attend the event, Critical Pride tweeted “Against your pinkwashing, our solidarity. Come march with the block #QueersWithPalestine”.
According to Palestine Monitor, the term ‘pinkwashing’ refers to a “propaganda tactic used by Israel to falsely portray the country as progressive in terms of gender and sexuality while disguising its systematic human rights abuses and presenting Palestinian, Arab and Muslim societies as inherently backwards and intolerant”.
The Madrid Critical Pride was created in 2008 as a counter-pride event to the well-known Madrid Pride due to criticism over Madrid Prides exclusion of marginalised LGBTIQ+ groups.
According to Critical Pride, the Madrid Pride has lost its “political and transgressive character” and has become a mere parade and “market niche”. Madrid Pride is among the most attended events of its kind worldwide.
In response to the growing support of the Palestinian struggle by BDS in Spain and the queer community in Madrid, Deputy Ambassador in Spain of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel Assaf Moran tweeted,“next time that @BDSMadrid and its supporters of the #LGBT community demonstrate against #Israel, its better if they first verify how their peers are doing in Gaza @IsraelInSpain”.
![tweeted]("https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D-Tlsk1XoAEWQCD.jpg"){kind=link}
Reacting to the Tweet, BDS Madrid responded on Moran’s official Twitter account. “We will frame your tweet. Rage out from your millionaire offices from which human rights are violated; from where apartheid, ethnic cleansing and colonialism are executed. Rage out watching our organised solidarity and flamboyant joy”.
The BDS organisation in Spain has also demanded on its latest press release for the Spanish state not to criminalise solidarity with Palestine.
The demand comes at a critical time regarding BDS campaigns in Europe as the German parliament recently declared the movement as anti-semitic.