A group of orthodox Jews was recently slammed for hiring Mexican laborers to dress up in traditional Jewish attire and protest America’s queer community at the New York Rainbow Parade so that young members of their congregation would not have to witness the LGBT event. The Mexicans labourers, who were seen holding up anti-LGBT placards at the rally, behind a police fence, were in fact dressed in the Jewish prayer garment tzitzit, as they tried hopelessly to pass off as members of the Jewish Political Action Committee (JPAC).
One of the Mexican demonstrators, who spoke to the media to clarify that he had been paid by orthodox Jews to stand there, said he was unaware of being subjected to abuse at the rally by supporters of LGBT rights. He described how gay and lesbian revelers kissed openly in front of them and threw water bottles into the cordoned off area to express anger and resentment. At one point, some LGBT supporters barged into the Mexicans’ space and even tried to physically assault them.
Heshie Freed, a member of JPAC, said the Mexicans had been hired as supplementary troops to fill in for Jewish students who did not want to make it to the parade.
“The rabbis said that the yeshiva boys shouldn’t come out for this because of what they would see at the parade,” he told the media. “It’s been a lot of confrontation. Whenever you have emotions, you have a situation.”
One of the placards held up by the Mexicans clearly stated that Judaism prohibits homosexuality.
Thousands had showed up in New York for the queer festival that was organized at the end of June. While some came to the scene to celebrate the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in favour of same-sex marriage, others turned up as they ritualistically do at most Rainbow-themed events.
Photo Credits: New York Daily News
