Hours after Speaker of the House Ted Arnott banned the wearing of keffiyeh scarves in the Ontario legislature, Premier Doug Ford called for the reversal of the decision.
In a statement, Ford said the ban of the keffiyeh was made “by the speaker and the speaker alone.”
“I do not support his decision as it needlessly divides the people of our province. I call on the speaker to reverse his decision immediately,” read Ford’s statement.
A keffiyeh is a black and white checkered scarf that has come to symbolize solidarity with Palestinians. Keffiyehs could regularly be spotted in the crowds of pro-Palestinian rallies in Toronto over the last several months.
Arnott, in a statement to multiple media outlets, said after extensive research, he concluded the wearing of keffiyehs at present time in the assembly is intended to be a political statement.
Under the order, keffiyehs would be banned in the legislative precinct by Members, staff and the public.
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles expressed her disappointment in the development in a letter to the Speaker and urged him to reconsider the directive.
“The wearing of these important cultural and national clothing items in our Assembly is something we should be proud of. It is part of the story of who we are as a province,” read Stiles’ letter. “Palestinians are part of that story, and the keffiyeh is a traditional clothing item that is significant not only to them but to many members of Arab and Muslim communities.”
Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie also spoke out against the ban in a post on X and urged Arnott to reconsider. “Here in Ontario we are home to a diverse group of people from so many backgrounds. This is a time when leaders should be looking for ways to bring people together, not to further divide us.”
Independent MPP Sarah Jama has spoken out against the ban as well, releasing a statement on X, saying it was unsurprising, but nonetheless concerning.
She added history shows and will continue to show that attempts to ban cultural identity and cultural symbols only strengthens movements of resistance.
Jama was censured by the Ontario legislature and removed from the NDP after a controversial social media post about the Israel-Hamas war last year.