Anti-Israel activists voted off Mardi Gras board

After months of internal conflict, members of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras have voted to remove two directors from the board. The extraordinary general meeting (EGM), held in Sydney on July 4, was the culmination of a bitter dispute between rival factions over the organisation’s leadership and direction. 

Members overwhelmingly voted out anti-Zionist campaigners Luna Choo and Damien Nguyen from Pride in Protest, who earlier this year prompted Jewish group Dayenu to withdraw temporarily from the festival. Instead, they opted for Protect Mardi Gras’ Mits Delisle and Kathy Pavlich, who campaigned on a platform of inclusion.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Pride in Protest is an anti-Zionist activist group who were banned from this year’s Mardi Gras parade, after a series of inflammatory and offensive social media posts they made targeting Dayenu, Sydney’s Jewish LGBT+ organisation. 

As reported by The Jewish Independent in February, Pride in Protest’s Instagram reveals an extreme ideology, with calls to “globalise the intifada” and images with inverted red triangles – a military symbol of Hamas. The group has previously described Zionism as a “right-wing, extremist ideology” and “white supremacy”. In an Instagram post in June, they defended their use of the chant “death to the IDF”.

When Dayenu pulled out of this year’s Mardi Gras – due to safety concerns following the Bondi terror attack – Pride in Protest accused them of being “pro-genocide”, shedding “crocodile tears” and called their decision “a stunt”. Dayenu ultimately rejoined the parade, while Pride in Protest were expelled for failing to remove the posts.