It is intended to stop me from looking like a hypocrite.

If I am going to take a stand about how unhappy I am with ICU, then doesn't it look a bit odd if I then of my own free will go to an event run by ICU?

What I am trying to do is find a way to go to Picocon without giving benefit to ICU. It seems to me that one way of doing that is to attend the event but not spend my money in ICU's bar.