The cancellation follows last year’s controversy when Capital Pride issued a statement condemning both the October 7 terror attacks and Israel’s military response.
Ottawa’s Pride parade was called off Sunday after a pro-Palestinian activist group blocked the route and refused to move, forcing organizers to shut down the event. The group, Queers for Palestine, Ottawa (Q4P), said in a press release that it halted the march “with the permission” of the parade’s grand marshal, reports the CBC.
Protestors gathered near Parliament Hill, chanting “This is what a village looks like!” in reference to Capital Pride’s 2025 theme, “We are a village." Q4P presented a list of demands to Capital Pride, including that the organization host a “boycott, divestment and sanctions” town hall and adopt a permanent cultural and academic boycott of Israel.
The group also called for Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and other elected officials to apologize for boycotting Capital Pride in 2024 and to “stand with us and all oppressed peoples, including Palestinians.” In its press release, Q4P said, “We are in the parade today to affirm very clearly that our Pride is not for sale, and that 2SLGBTQIA+ communities will not accept sponsors and elected officials dictating what we stand for, how we celebrate ourselves, and how we claim our space.”
Capital Pride said on Instagram that the parade had been cancelled just before 3 pm. The organization later posted a statement saying Q4P was originally invited by the grand marshal and had engaged with organizers over the summer, but “refused to have a meaningful discussion about how to move forward” during Sunday’s standoff.
“After over an hour of attempting to resolve the stoppage, it became clear that Q4P was unwilling to engage in a good faith conversation and was insistent on misrepresenting our discussions,” Capital Pride said. The group noted that permits for street closures expired at 4.
“The decision to cancel was not taken lightly, and we understand and appreciate the impact it had on our community — including over 7,000 people from more than 175 groups who showed up to march today,” the statement added.
Mayor Sutcliffe, who declined interviews, issued a statement calling the outcome “deeply regrettable.” He said, “My heart goes out to the many people in our city who were deprived of the opportunity to participate in this celebration of joy, resilience, and community.”
The cancellation follows last year’s controversy when Capital Pride issued a statement condemning both the October 7 terror attacks and Israel’s military response. The Jewish Federation of Ottawa denounced that statement as “antisemitic” and boycotted the 2024 parade.
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