One of the largest LGBT+ pride events in Europe has reportedly reversed itself after originally telling a Belgian Jewish group that they could only join the event if their banners did not include a Star of David, or even the use of the word “Jewish”.
Brussels Pride, which is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year, is understand to have given Mazal Pride, an organisation representing LGBT+ Jews in Belgium, the condition if they wished to take part in the parade. In a post shared on the “BaLaGan! LGBT+ Jews in and around Brussels Facebook group”, one of the groups admins shared a post in which he told the hundreds of members of the group that “After several discussions with the organizers, our presence was finally accepted… but with conditions that deeply hurt us.
“Overall, they conveyed two positive messages:
– We do have a place at Pride and within the LGBTQ+ community in Brussels, and they accept us without conflating us with Israel.
– They are aware that Jews face risks in Belgium.
“However, because of the second point, they fear that our participation could put us in danger. As a result, they would only potentially agree to our participation if we are forbidden from bringing our logo, the Magen David, or even using the word “Jewish” on our banners!”
The message continued: “Hearing this at an event that is supposed to celebrate pride and the freedom to exist was extremely painful. The message we ultimately receive is that our presence is acceptable only if it is not too visible. That we are welcome as long as we know how to hide… we refuse to accept erasing our identity as the solution. We refuse the idea that Jewish people should have to hide who they are in order to participate in a public, activist, and celebratory space.”
However, it went on to say that “After many internal discussions, we decided that we would not give them the satisfaction of our absence. We will be there. Jewish, queer, allies, and prouder than ever — even if we respect their request to participate without overly distinctive symbols… Right now, we truly need to feel that we are not alone.”
While the official Mazal Instagram page did not provide details about the Brussels Pride decision, a message did tell those who were interested in attending the event with Mazal that the night before the 16 May event, “we will meet for a sign workshop…no other signs will be accepted other than those made at this workshop.”
Part of the Facebook post, which was shared widely on social media, led to significant anger from Jews.
“How nice of them to create a new closet for Jews specifically to be forced into”, one individual said, while another described how it was “pretty ironic to tell us that we can come but we can’t come as we truly are.”
Other comments included: “the idea of forcing Jews to hide their identities, their religious affiliation, one that they did not choose, would be a literal disservice to the idea of the pride parade, this is an absolute disgrace.”
However, Jewish News understands that Brussels Pride have since removed their precondition for Jewish attendees, and will allow them to display symbols of their Jewishness.
This is not the first time an LGBT+ march has acted in a way which discriminates against LGBT+ Jews. In 2025, Keshet UK, the British Jewish community’s key LGBT+ organisation, announced that they did not feel able to organise a Jewish bloc at London Pride Parade, describing how the “Pride in London organisation failed to support our minority community. KeshetUK asked for assurances of safety for British Jews marching at Pride, informed by antisemitism awareness training, which was rejected, as were all other asks… After we felt unable to attend in 2024, we asked for dialogue with Pride in London. We wanted to engage in good faith, open-minded discussions to find solutions to our concerns.”
Keshet went on to say that “We shared our concerns in a spirit of open dialogue, and made reasonable requests, including antisemitism awareness training for the stewards. We were simply looking for reassurance that British Jews would be physically and psychologically safe at the event amidst rapidly rising antisemitism and LGBT+ related hate crime in the UK.
“Our requests were turned down.”
Notoriously, the 2017 “Chicago Dyke March” in the US ejected participants who were carrying Jewish pride flags—rainbow flags featuring a Star of David – claiming that they were ‘threatening’. Responding to anger at the ban, the account associated with the march tweeted, and subsequently deleted, the words “Zio tears replenish my electrolytes!”
Jewish News has approached Brussels Pride and Mazal Pride for comment.