The Queer Running Club (QRC) has been accused of illegal discrimination by refusing to work with an Israeli photographer. The photographer had agreed with QRC to do a photoshoot of an event, but this was “postponed” after he did not confirm that he was “pro-Palestine”.
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has reported QRC to the Equality and Human Rights Commission for its breaches of the Equality Act 2010.
The Israeli photographer agreed to photograph an event for QRC at an East London park in September. He offered to do this at no cost, knowing that he would be credited for the photos, and that he would get paid work as a result.
The day before the shoot, QRC contacted the photographer and asked him to confirm that his view was pro-Palestine. The photographer replied that he separates politics from his art and professional services. He said “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”.
In response QRC’s representative said they were “not in a position to be able to separate our politics from our running” and they would have to “postpone the shoot for the moment.”
UKLFI wrote to QRC pointing out that it was acting illegally, in breach of the Equality Act 2010 (the Act), but received no response. UKLFI has now reported QRC to the Equality and Human Rights Commission for its breaches of the Act.
According to section 39(1)(c) of the Act, “An employer (A) must not discriminate against a person (B) by not offering B employment.”
According to section 39(2)(c), “An employer (A) must not discriminate against an employee of A’s (B)—(c)by dismissing B; (d)by subjecting B to any other detriment.”
In accordance with section 83, “employment” includes “a contract personally to do work” and references to “employer” and “employee” are to be understood accordingly.
In this case QRC, as employer, has discriminated against Mr Gaash by not offering him employment (as defined) and / or by dismissing and subjecting him to the detriment of not affording him access to opportunities for receiving a benefit (ie the benefit of future paid work).
QRC has also subjected Mr Gaash to the detriment of being harshly treated by the manner in which his work was withdrawn, and by trying to force him, as an Israeli, to confirm he was “pro-Palestinian” while his country, Israel, was in the midst of a war against Hamas, a terrorist organisation which is the governing body of Gaza.
This is a particularly egregious and insensitive thing to do, following the terrible massacre carried out by Hamas on 7 October 2023, the worst atrocities against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Over 1200 people, including babies, children, women and the elderly were brutally murdered, burnt, raped and mutilated and over 250 people were taken hostage – over 100 remain as hostages a year later.
The QRC describes itself as “a safe space for queer and trans people to run together.” It was founded and run by Kole Fulmine, a Lululemon Ambassador (Lululemon is clothes brand which has 5 million followers on Instagram).
QRC receives a grant from “Pride in London”, which specifies that the “grant programme will not fund: …..Projects that are exclusionary of members of the LGBT+ Community” In this case QRC did exclude a Jewish Israeli member of the LGBT+ community. UKLFI has written to Pride in London to point this out.
Pride in London said “We have not seen evidence that QRC, as part of its project terms, specifically exclude an entire subset of the community.”
Caroline Turner, director of UKLFI commented: “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 practises.”