Activists boycott Copenhagen Pride over corporate sponsorship concerns and human rights issues

Jack Ashley Benn, 37, is a non-binary drag artist who participated in the Copenhagen Pride parade for the first time when they were 16. However, after 21 years, they are boycotting the event, citing a lack of focus on the rights of Black, Brown, and marginalized LGBTQ+ individuals.

Benn and other activists argue that Copenhagen Pride has prioritized corporate sponsors over human rights, particularly criticizing its partnerships with companies that invest in illegal settlements in Palestine. They demand that Copenhagen Pride sever ties with such sponsors before they will consider participating in the parade again.

As a consequence of their stance, alternative pride events have emerged throughout the week, organized without commercial sponsorship. Despite the commercial nature of Copenhagen Pride, the organization has denied the activists’ claims, asserting that the accusations of prioritizing profit over activism are unfounded.

This year, nearly half of Copenhagen Pride’s commercial partners withdrew following a statement that any partners unable to satisfactorily address questions regarding their activities in Israel and Palestine would not be welcomed in 2024. Although the statements were later retracted, they did not halt the sponsorship exodus.

In a broader response, more than 80 artists, including drag performer Michael Bjerring, have called for Copenhagen Pride to address what they describe as genocide in Israel. They emphasize the need for an inclusive pride that champions human rights across all marginalized communities.

Amidst these developments, Copenhagen Pride maintains that their collaborative choices are based on established guidelines and that they do not support entities that contradict their values.