Ontario MPP kicked out of legislature for wearing keffiyeh

A member of the Ontario legislature was asked to leave the house today for defying a ban on wearing kafias. That’s the checkered scarf typically worn in some Arab cultures and has come to symbolize solidarity with Palestinians. Megan Fitzpatrick is tracking that story. Megan, what can you tell us? Well, the Speaker of the legislature, Ted Arnott, had informed MPP’s about this ban a few weeks ago, saying that the legislature has a long standing practice of not allowing MPP’s to wear articles of clothing or accessories that are intended to make a political statement. And he had said that at this time he considers A kafia an article of clothing intended to make a political statement, and he banned the wearing of them in the legislature, but also throughout the entire building. And he says these types of pieces of clothing can’t be worn unless there’s unanimous consent given by MPPS, and that has been tried. So the NDP had proposed 2 motions twice seeking unanimous consent to allow MPPS to wear the Kafia, and both times it was voted down. Several PCMPPS did not give their consent, and so the motions failed. And so the ban has stayed in place ahead of question period. Today, though, are not Rosa made a statement saying he wanted to clarify his position. He says he still stands by his conclusion that the wearing of the scarves at this time is intended to make a political statement. But he loosened the restriction a bit, saying people would be allowed to wear them in the building but still not in the chamber. So he says he stands by his ban, and he wanted to say that it’s not a blanket ban that singles out those scarves in particular, but again, any article clothing that he considers, one meant to make a political statement would not be allowed. Then, during question period, 3 MPPS wore a Kafia, Sarah JAMA, who’s an independent MPPA, former NDPMPP, and then 2 NDPMPPS, Joel Harden and Kristen Wong. Tam, the speaker, got up. He warned them that they were basically breaking the rules and they then all left voluntarily. Harden and Wong Tam Anyway, Jam Jam, the speaker, did have to name her and warn her, and then she left the chamber. This is the second time she has been ordered to leave the legislature. The last time, she was not physically removed from the chamber, but again, she was asked to leave. And so that’s what happened today, basically at Queens Park. We’ll be hearing from those MPPS who were who did speak to reporters afterwards explaining their decision. We don’t have tape of it yet, but they stood by their decision to wear it. And they are arguing these are not political statements, that these are scarves that are important cultural symbol symbols to Palestinians. And they say the ban on wearing them within the legislature is both unfair and unjust. CB CS Megan Fitzpatrick in Toronto. Thank you.