According to the Windy City Times, three participants in the Chicago Dyke March carrying a rainbow flag with the Jewish Star of David in its center were asked to leave the parade by organizers because it was making others at the event uncomfortable.
One of the three individuals ejected from the celebration was Laurel Grauer, a manager at A Wider Bridge, the organization "building a movement of pro-Israel LGBTQ people and allies, with strong interest in and commitment to supporting Israel and its LGBTQ community."
Speaking to the Times, Grauer said, "They were telling me to leave because my flag was a trigger to people that they found offensive. It was a flag from my congregation which celebrates my queer, Jewish identity, which I have done for over a decade marching in the Dyke March with the same flag."
Eleanor Shoshany-Anderson, an Iranian Jew, was also told to leave. She said to the Times, "I was here as a proud Jew in all of my identities. The Dyke March is supposed to be intersectional. I don't know why my identity is excluded from that. I feel that, as a Jew, I am not welcome here."
A statement from the Dyke March's Facebook read:
"Sadly, our celebration of dyke, queer, and trans solidarity was partially overshadowed by our decision to ask three individuals carrying Israeli flags superimposed on rainbow flags to leave the rally. This decision was made after they repeatedly expressed support for Zionism during conversations with Chicago Dyke March Collective members. We have since learned that at least one of these individuals is a regional director for A Wider Bridge, an organization with connections to the Israeli state and right-wing pro-Israel interest groups."
They also stated, "We want to make clear that anti-Zionist Jewish volunteers and supporters are welcome at Dyke March and were involved in conversations with the individuals who were asked to leave. We are planning to make a longer statement in the future."
Read the full statement from the Chicago Dyke March, below:
