The keffiyeh's history of culture and conflict

Image | OSLER RAIL RALLY

Caption: Protesters who blocked a rail line in Toronto on Tuesday are shown here wearing keffiyehs. The protest was organized by World Beyond War on April 16, 2024. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Earlier this month, the Ontario legislature banned the keffiyeh, a checkered black and white scarf long worn by Palestinians and often seen at pro-Palestinian protests.
The ban was brought in because of a longstanding policy against clothing items that make overt political statements. But that decision has ignited a massive debate.
So, is the keffiyeh a political statement? Is it traditional regalia? Is it both?
Today, we unpack those questions with Vox correspondent Abdallah Fayyad.
He recently wrote a piece called "How the keffiyeh became a symbol of the Palestinian cause."
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