A photographer says that the Queer Running Club in London dropped him from an arranged gig after he refused to say that he is pro-Palestine.
The photographer Omer Ga’ash, who is originally from Israel but has lived in the U.K. for several years, tells The Telegraph that he had been approached by the Queer Running Club (QRC) to be the photographer for an event in an East London park. Ga’ash says he offered to do the event for free because his credit on the photo would lead to him getting paid work.
However, the day before the photo shoot, QRC allegedly contacted Ga’ash to ask him to confirm that he has “pro-Palestine” views. “I wanted to make sure that you’re aware that QRC has been (and continues to be) firmly pro-Palestine. I just wanted to make sure that that aligns with you,” QRC said in an email.
Ga’ash replied and told QRC that he likes to keep his political views separate from his work and refused to say he’s pro-Palestine.
“I love my queer community despite any differences we may have. My goal for tomorrow is for you lovelies to have wonderful photos to use,” Ga’ash told the QRC in an email, per The Telegraph.
But QRC said it was “not in a position to be able to separate our politics from our running” and that it would have to “postpone the shoot for the moment”.
‘Discriminatory’
Ga’ash tells The Telegraph that he “wants to be part” of his community and be known for my artistic and professional work, not for his politics.
“I was trying to help Queer Running Club promote their work,” he says. “I don’t want to be forced to take sides on an issue like Palestine. I’m not a spokesperson for anybody.”
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) have now filed a complaint alleging that the QRC is in breach of the 2010 Equality Act passed by the British parliament. Section 39(1)(c) of the Act says that “an employer must not discriminate against a person by not offering employment”, and section 39(2)(c) states “an employer must not discriminate against an employee by dismissing [the employee] and/or by subjecting [them] to any other detriment”.
UKLFI says QRC has discriminated against the photographer by refusing him employment and depriving him of an opportunity to receive future paid work.
“It is very sad that an LGBTQ+ group feels they can discriminate against Israeli members of their own community. I hope that they will now realise that they are not only acting illegally but also in an extremely insensitive manner, and will change their discriminatory practices,” Caroline Turner, director of UKLFI, tells The Telegraph.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.