The organisers of a march which ejected people carrying LGBT pride flags bearing a Star of David are fundraising for a “self-care retreat”, claiming that they have received “countless threats of violence and aggression”.

On Youcaring, a “compassionate crowdfunding” platform, the organisers of the Chicago Dyke March have asked people to fund them so that they “can take a much needed retreat to rest, re-energise & be in a space of pure love”.

Last week, these march organisers were reported to have forced people carrying Jewish Pride flags, which feature a Star of David over the LGBT rainbow, to leave the parade. They claimed that the Jewish star “looked too much like Israeli flags… triggering people and making them feel unsafe”.

One of the Jewish flag wavers said she was ignored when she told the organisers that “being told my Jewish pride is unacceptable, that I can’t be visibly Jewish… actually makes me feel unsafe”.

Far from apologising, the march organisers subsequently made statements re-affirming their decision, saying they had thrown out people who “repeatedly expressed support for Zionism during conversations with Chicago Dyke March collective members”.

The statement does not explain why people carrying Pride flags bearing a Star of David were approached and interrogated about their political beliefs in the first place.

“The CDM Collective creates a space, even if for just one gorgeous day, where people are seen, loved and celebrated for being queer, trans, gender nonconforming, nonbinary, intersex, black, brown, fat, kinky, undocumented, disabled,” the group’s description of itself on the crowdfunding website reads.

“Chicago Dyke March has always been and will always continue to fight for liberation for all, especially queer and trans folks who face further marginalisation and discrimination based on their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, size, gender identity, gender expression, sexuality, culture, immigrant status, spirituality, and ability.”

So far, the group has raised $1,700 of the $5,000 they say they need to pay for the retreat – but a number of people have donated the $1 minimum in order to have the chance to leave a comment criticising the Chicago Dyke March organisers.

“I hope you use the retreat to ‘recover’ from your antisemitism and think about the damage you’ve done in the community to the trust of those of us who are queer, trans and Jewish”, one comment reads.

Another points out: “If I went around asking LGBT Muslims if they support ‘radical Islamic terrorism’, you’d (rightly) identify that behaviour as Islamophobic dogwhistle nonsense. But interrogating Jews because they have a flag and may be ‘Zionists’ isn’t antisemitic? Ok.”