The Chicago Dyke March changed its cartoon showing American and Israeli flags being burned following backlash.
The cartoon, which was posted to the march’s Instagram account on June 20 to advertise for its upcoming June 26 march, initially showed a woman standing on top of a burning police car with the letters “ACAB”—an apparent reference to the “All Cops Are Bastards” slogan—on her rear end. The woman also can be seen holding an Israeli flag in her left hand and an American flag in her right hand, both of which are burning.
Additionally, the march’s Instagram account also shared an image of playing cards stating “Queers for Palestine” and “Zionism is queerphobic” with an image of someone holding a firearm.
The antisemitic Chicago Dyke March are calling for an end to Israel and also planning on violent rioting. Two fascinating & disturbing graphics they just released. pic.twitter.com/AnnUdMmISy
— Ari Ingel (@OGAride) June 21, 2021
And if that wasn’t enough, they doubled down on a call for violence against Israel by the barrel of the gun, and fomenting hatred by calling one of the most gay friendly countries in the world (23 out of 198), queerphobic. pic.twitter.com/ZLKCGof5Rd
— Ari Ingel (@OGAride) June 21, 2021
Various Jewish groups condemned the cartoon.
“Israel continues to be a safe haven for LGBTQ people around the world,” the American Jewish Committee (AJC) tweeted. “Meanwhile, the Chicago Dyke March continues to traffic in antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment. Their despicable and hateful rhetoric must be denounced by all.”
Israel continues to be a safe haven for LGBTQ people around the world.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Dyke March continues to traffic in antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment.
Their despicable and hateful rhetoric must be denounced by all.https://t.co/LuUzNYV0uf
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) June 22, 2021
Anti-Defamation League Midwest also released a joint statement with Chicago’s Jewish Community Relations Council as well as AJC Chicago calling the cartoon “deeply troubling.”
“No member of the LGBTQ+ community should be made to feel excluded—or intimidated—by any facet of their identity. In 2017 the Chicago Dyke March made the antisemitic decision to ban ‘Jewish Pride’ flags with Stars of David. Now, four years later, they are doubling down on their exclusionary messaging.”
They added that the cartoon “further fans the flames of hatred and bigotry. It further inflicts harm on members of the LGBTQ+ community who ally or identify as Zionists, for a whom a connection to Israel is part of their Jewish identity, and are seemingly being compelled to choose between important parts of their individual identities.”
Our joint statement with @ChicagoJCRC and @AJCchicago on the Chicago Dyke March: pic.twitter.com/goOPgi6p5l
— ADL Midwest (@ADLMidwest) June 22, 2021
Stop Antisemitism also tweeted that there are 12 countries in the Middle East and North Africa “where being gay is legally punishable by death” and yet the march “vilifies” Israel and the United States. “Insanity at its finest.”
12 countries where being gay is legally punishable by death:
👉🏻 Yemen
👉🏻 Iran
👉🏻 Brunei
👉🏻 Nigeria
👉🏻 Qatar
👉🏻 Saudi Arabia
👉🏻 Afghanistan
👉🏻 Somalia
👉🏻 Sudan
👉🏻 UAE
👉🏻 Pakistan
👉🏻 MauritaniaMeanwhile Chicago Dyke March vilifies:
👉🏻 Israel
👉🏻 USAInsanity at its finest https://t.co/gWkd6aAjGN pic.twitter.com/IWtpOWZAgt
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) June 21, 2021
The Chicago Dyke March announced in a June 22 Instagram post that Instagram had deleted their prior account because of “social media attacks by Z10N1ST who have bombarded our account with threats of violence, racist, sexist and homophobic comments.” The post was accompanied with a graphic stating: “Israel strategically and actively targets queer Palestinians” as well as accusing Israel of “pinkwashing” to “cover up/wash over Israel’s Apartheid regime and ethnic cleansing.” The cartoon now shows the woman holding plain white flags.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
A Wider Bridge, an organization that aims to connect LBTQ+ communities in Israel and the United States, tweeted on June 21 that while the initial cartoon had been removed, “the message remains the same unless we hear otherwise: that dykes who wish to attend the Dyke March must choose between their identities. We Refuse to Choose.” They also announced that they are releasing a new image of a Pride Flag with a Star of David on it.
While those symbols have seemingly since been removed, the message remains the same unless we hear otherwise: that dykes who wish to attend the Dyke March must choose between their identities. We Refuse to Choose.
— A Wider Bridge (@AWiderBridge) June 21, 2021
Our new flag is already in use as a virtual background, and we're loving seeing it! Thank you @rabbicreditor for spreading the word! Our online store is coming soon! pic.twitter.com/YeUAVdecyh
— A Wider Bridge (@AWiderBridge) June 21, 2021
Blake Flayton, a student at George Washington University and co-founder of New Zionist Congress, also tweeted on June 21: “I’m noticing a familiar trend where the antisemites do something antisemitic, get confronted, and then say they’re being silenced.” In a separate tweet, he wrote that “the term ‘pinkwashing’ is an antisemitic trick used to force gay Jews to relinquish their national pride in order to be accepted in progressive spaces. It’s despicable.”
Update: photo has been deleted, now a new one is up with flames covering the flags. The post reads: “Tired of Social Media Censorship?”
I’m noticing a familiar trend where the antisemites do something antisemitic, get confronted, and then say they’re being silenced. pic.twitter.com/C0nrUOeQQF
— Blake Flayton (@blakeflayton) June 21, 2021
Again: the term “pinkwashing” is an antisemitic trick used to force gay Jews to relinquish their national pride in order to be accepted in progressive spaces. It’s despicable.
— Blake Flayton (@blakeflayton) June 22, 2021
The Chicago Dyke March did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment.
