Hey, Where are the "Feminists Supporting Zionism"?

Saudis close Canadian education booths staffed by women

A Canadian embassy booth and another for a private Montreal college were shut down at a Saudi Arabia education fair last week because they were being run by women.

Organizers for the Canadian contingent say three women staffing the booths were forced to leave the fair by the country's religious police, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, even though they had received permission to be there.

George Chrysomilides, president of the Canadian Education Network, said there hasn't been an incident like this in the 10 years Canada has attended the event, and he plans to get to the bottom of it.

"From what I hear ... the religious police were very rude. They shouted at them in a way that was disrespectful and they shut down the booth, the Canadian embassy booth as well as the LaSalle College booth," Mr. Chrysomilides said in an interview yesterday.

Mr. Chrysomilides said because women were running two booths alone this year, the Canadian organizers decided to keep them detached from the main pavilion to show respect for Saudi customs.

"We did everything that Saudi rules require. Why did they have to close it down?" Mr. Chrysomilides asked.