Malta Pride Parade Mix-Up: Turkish Activist Denied Access To Float Over Scarf-Keffiyeh Confusion
A float owner from last weekend’s Malta Pride has sparked controversy after refusing to allow an Austria-based Turkish activist on board, mistakenly identifying his scarf as a Palestinian keffiyeh.
Yavuz Kurtulmus was among a number of foreign activists and journalists who the Malta Tourism Authority had invited to attend Pride in Valletta.
When he tried to board a float set up by QTravel Malta, a company that offers tours for LGBT+ travellers, he was denied access due to the scarf he was wearing.
QTravel mistook his scarf as a Palestinian keffiyeh, and didn’t let him board while wearing it because they wanted their float to be completely “apolitical”.
“It looked like a keffiyeh but it was a misunderstanding,” a spokesperson for QTravel told Lovin Malta.
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He said that while he understands that Pride is a political event, he wanted the float to be kept “politically neutral” to send across a message of inclusion.
He stressed that the policy didn’t target the keffiyeh or Palestinian symbols per se, but was a blanket ban against all items that carry a political implication.
However, Kurtulmus insisted that their stance was “unacceptable”.
“While inclusion was being celebrated on stage and big brands were prominently displayed, I was told I couldn’t fully participate because of my scarf,” he said on Instagram.
“As queer migrants, refugees or members of a queer minority, we are still often asked to hide our identities or not live them openly. This is not acceptable and I will continue to fight for more visibility for queer minorities.”
“For the record, my scarf is not a Palestinian scarf and even if it were, there should be no issues,” the activist added. “No discrimination, no exclusion. I will share more details once I’m back in Vienna as the whole incident took away my Pride spirit and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
QTravel messaged Kurtulmus to apologise for the misunderstanding.
“We understand that the keffiyeh can carry different meanings, and in certain contexts, particularly in Malta, it may be seen as a political symbol,” they said. “In the spirit of ensuring that all participants feel safe and included, we made the decision to ask for its removal to avoid any potential misinterpretation, especially during an event that is focused solely on celebrating love, diversity and unity.”
“Please rest assured that this request was not made out of any intent to offend, but rather to maintain the inclusive and apolitical nature of the Pride celebration. We value your presence and the contributions you bring to our community and are truly sorry if our actions caused any unintended distress.”
Malta Pride also weighed in, requesting an investigation by the Malta Tourism Authority.
“We would like to clarify that, while Pride is indeed a celebration, it is also inherently political in its fight for human rights and equality,” they said. “We emphasise that Pride should not exclude political expressions, especially those concerning human rights issues, which many activists have supported in relation to LGBTIQ+ rights. We believe in the intersection of human rights, including LGBTIQ+ rights and the fight for any of these rights shall be allowed at Pride.”
MTA Statement
Following this incident, the MTA released the following statement.
“The Malta Tourism Authority has been a dedicated supporter of the LGBTQ+ community in Malta for several years, consistently embracing the core values cherished by the community.”
“As part of its commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion, the MTA invited a number of journalists including Mr. Yavuz Kurtulmus, to engage in activities surrounding Malta Pride 2024 and to promote the country as a safe and welcoming destination for LGBTQ+ travellers.”
“The MTA is not the competent authority to investigate claims related to alleged breaches of human rights. Nevertheless, whether the situation in question involves a misunderstanding or a potential breach, the MTA reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values of equality, freedom of expression, and inclusivity.”
Cover photos: Left: The Pride celebration (Photo: OPM), Right: Yavuz Kurtulmus (Photo: Yavuz Kurtulmus – Facebook), Inset: The scarf Kurtulmus was wearing (Photo: Yavuz Kurtulmus – Instagram)
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