THE charity organisers behind Glasgow Pride have been urged to drop Coca-Cola as a sponsor ahead of a major parade this weekend due to the soft drinks firm operating in illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Thousands of people are expected to take part in Glasgow's annual Pride event on Saturday in celebration of the city and surrounding regions' LGBT+ communities.
Ahead of this year’s celebrations, Scottish Greens MSPs Holly Bruce, Iris Duane and Patrick Harvie have written to Glasgow Pride organisers urging them to adhere to the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment Sanctions (BDS) guidelines and drop the American soft drinks brand as a sponsor.
The MSPs have declared their support for the No Pride in Genocide campaign for one of Scotland’s largest LGBT+ organisations to adopt BDS guidelines and to boot out firms attempting to “pinkwash” – a term used to describe institutions which adopt LGBT+-friendly messages and marketing strategies to court the gay community.
It is an accusation often levelled at Israel because the country’s defenders often portray it as a lone haven of LGBT+ safety in a part of the world where gay people are often criminalised or discriminated against.
In their letter to Glasgow Pride, the MSPs outlined their concerns over the event's sponsors who have “particular human rights concerns” like JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, and the Coca-Cola Company, through the promotion of Sprite.
“As you will be aware, Coca-Cola Israel is an exclusive franchise of the Coca-Cola Company, operating in Israeli settlements in Palestine which are illegal under international human rights law,” the trio said.
“As a result, Coca-Cola has been a key boycott focus for human rights campaigners for over a decade.”
Coca-Cola Israel, also known as the Central Beverage Company franchisee of the Coca-Cola Company in Israel, operates a regional distribution center and cooling houses in the Israeli Atarot Settlement Industrial Zone, according to research by WhoProfits.
Bruce, Green MSP for Glasgow Southside, has warned that while Palestinians are “enduring genocide, occupation and unimaginable suffering,” it would be “indefensible” for Glasgow Pride to stand by their commitment with Coca-Cola.
She said: “Pride began as a protest against oppression, not as a corporate branding opportunity. It must remain rooted in liberation and solidarity, and those values cannot stop at the edge of our own community.
“With Palestinians enduring genocide, occupation and unimaginable suffering, promoting a company that is subject to a Palestine-led boycott like Coca-Cola is indefensible.
“Glasgow’s Pride should drop Coca-Cola, adopt transparent BDS-aligned sponsorship rules and sign the Fossil Free Pride pledge. I recognise how hard it is to fund and organise a major event, but who pays for Pride matters.”
Bruce added: “The Scottish Greens are clear, Glasgow deserves a joyful and inclusive Pride that lives its values, and there can be no pride in genocide.”
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law and have been condemned by the UN Security Council and the International Court of Justice.
Amnesty considers Israeli settlements to form a “central pillar” of what the organisation said is a “documented system of apartheid against the Palestinian people”.
The Green MSPs acknowledged the “challenging sponsorship environment” facing event organisers but added that they believe that any organisation working with any company complicit in human rights violations against Palestinians is “unjustifiable”.
The letter concludes: “We make these comments because we believe strongly in the vision of a successful, inclusive Pride event for Glasgow which serves as a space of celebration for true diversity, equality and love.
“For that to be achieved, it must not contribute to human rights violations facing Palestinians.”
No Pride in Genocide has welcomed the three Glasgow Green MSPs for their support of their campaign against “pinkwashing”.
A spokesperson for the group added: “We will remain steadfast in our commitment to challenging corporate pride in Glasgow that allows warmongering companies to hide their crimes behind a profitable rainbow display while marching through our city.
“We hope to see many Greens supporters joining us in Glasgow Green by McLennan Arch at 11am on 18th July to celebrate our shared history of queer resistance and international solidarity.”
Coca-Cola and Glasgow Pride have been approached for comment.
