On Saturday evening, June 29, the 32nd annual Levee Against Genocide march was held in Manhattan, and the Fogo Azul drum corps broke the tension with an intoxicating and upbeat beat. The organizing committee released a statement on its social media, which it later retracted. There were concerns about the safety of Jewish lesbians attending the march. However, thousands of participants – many of whom showed strong support for Palestine – joined the march from Bryant Park to the fountain in Washington Square Park.
The statement withdrawn by the Dyke Parade Committee said anti-Semitism would not be tolerated under any circumstances and stressed the need to “focus on the tragic plight of Palestinians”, acknowledge the pain felt by Jews following the rise in anti-Semitism and “mourn the[ing] the senseless loss of Jewish lives during and after the Hamas attack on 7 October”.
The announcement prompted a strong reaction from LGBTQ+ activist groups such as Act Up NYC, which stressed that its parade would be centered around Palestinian liberation, and queer prison abolition group Black & Pink, which canceled its parade altogether.
The organizing committee issued a post shortly afterwards to clarify that the withdrawal of the statement had not been voted on by the full committee. The organizing committee did not immediately respond Allergy Request for comment. The march went on as planned, beginning outside the New York Public Library’s flagship building at 5 p.m.
During the march, Mattie, co-leader of the Act Up NYC march group, told Allergic The group made a “strong statement to show up, speak out, take up space and put the Palestinian liberation movement at the center”; emphasized its support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement; and stressed its message of “funding AIDS, not war.”
“Black trans and Black lesbian organizers have been at the forefront of our liberation movement,” Marty said in her personal capacity. They urged participants to focus and listen to organizers like Quinn Jean, who led the march in a bright pink dress and a Palestinian flag with a Black Power fist and the words “Free Palestine.”
Throughout the parade, Rivianna Hyatt and Michelle Blassou took turns holding up an olive tree sculpture made from papier-mâché and recycled soda cans. Allergic After reading the committee’s retraction, they debated whether to join the march, but ultimately chose to come out “in support of the Palestinian resistance as a dam.”
Hyatt and Brasu said they have attended numerous lesbian parades across the United States and Canada and that the New York parade is “always the best,” but Hyatt said they do not understand why the committee issued the statement and believe it conflates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism.
Hundreds of people held signs with the statement “Jewish Levees Support Palestine” as they headed to Washington Square Park. One marcher, Sadie, 28, of Brooklyn, had the same words written on the back of her thigh. Allergic “The Jews are safe here.”
“Zionists may not feel safe here, nor should they feel safe,” Sadie continued. “My intention is not to make Zionists feel safe here, but I am Jewish and I want Jews to feel safe here because genocide is not a Jewish value.”
Regarding the contradictory messages from the organizing committee, Sadie said that “two or three people on the committee made a statement, but no one agreed” was not a reason to cancel the lesbian parade. “For me, it was more symbolic to be there and show solidarity. [with Palestine] I would rather stay home no matter what the committee says,” she said.
