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25,000 attend largest ever Jerusalem gay pride march
An estimated 25,000 people participated in yesterday’s Jerusalem gay pride march, making it the largest ever to take place in the city.
The march began in Liberty Bell Park, where a ceremonial wedding celebration was held for a same sex couple. The crowd eventually made their way through the capital’s centre including Keren Hayesod and King George streets. The march, which was this year themed on the phrase “Love wins,” culminated in an event at Independence Park.
A number of prominent political leaders participated in yesterday’s march. They included opposition leader and Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog and his colleagues Shelly Yachimovich, Micky Rosenthal and Nachman Shai. Meretz leader Zahava Galon and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid also marched.
Lapid said: “This is a day of love and happiness. I think that the ability to accept others is the basis of human society. Anyone who is unable to accept that—they’ve got a problem.”
Many participants, who included both secular and religious people, laid flowers at the spot where at last year’s event, 16-year-old Shira Banki was stabbed and murdered by ultra-Orthodox extremist, Yishai Schlissel. Although he is serving a prison sentence for Banki’s murder, Schlissel was arrested this week on suspicion of planning an attack by his brother at yesterday’s march. Security was especially tight yesterday and police arrested 48 people suspected of intending to harm marchers, including activists from the extremist Lahava organisation. The build-up to this year’s march had also been marked by derogatory comments about homosexuality by two prominent Orthodox rabbis.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat decided not to attend the march, saying that it would offend religious sensibilities in the city. He said yesterday: “I understand the pain and criticism of those who don’t agree with my decision.”
Minister for Public Security, Gilad Erdan said before the march: “We live in a Jewish and democratic state, I grew up in a religious household… The most important principle that we were taught was ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’.”