Keffiyeh Bans, Censorship, and Suppression

 

From Queen's Park to Campus Encampments and TikTok

Ontario MPP Sarah Jama's ousting from Ontario's legislative chamber for wearing a keffiyeh, a symbol deemed “overtly political” under Queen's Park regulations, is part of a broader trend of bans, censorship, and suppression.

From state-led censorship such as the U.S. threatening to ban TikTok, to universities attempting to quell dissent through encampment bans and legal maneuvers, the landscape of freedom of expression and right to protest is under siege at multiple levels. This recent event underscores a disturbing pattern where voices advocating for marginalized communities, such as Palestinians, are systematically silenced and excluded.

In a chilling display of anti-Palestinian racism, MPP Sarah Jama was shamefully ousted from Ontario's legislative chamber for wearing a keffiyeh, which is a symbol of Palestinian identity, culture, and solidarity. Jama used to be in the NDP but was kicked out for calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in October 2023, among other comments. 

Speaker Ted Arnott's complicity in enforcing the ban on this cultural garment is a stark reminder of Canada's systemic racism, racial and colonial violence, and its tacit support of Israel's oppressive and genocidal regime.  (more...)

Keffiyeh Bans, Censorship, and Suppression