Thousands march in sombre Jerusalem Pride Parade

GALI TIBBON/AFP/Getty Images

More than 20,000 people marched in Jerusalem’s Pride Parade yesterday, under heavy security, Haaretz reports.

The 17th annual Pride Parade marks the three-year anniversary of Sharia Banki’s violent murder at the hands of Yishai Schlissel – who was, at the time, only just released from prison after stabbing several people in the 2005 Pride march.

The parade weaved its way through several main streets, including Agron, Hillel, King George, and Mapu, which were closed to traffic, before stopping at the site where Banki was killed. Her parents laid a wreath to commemorate her memory.

Jerusalem Pride also focused heavily on surrogacy rights, which were recently denied to same-sex couples in Israel after the Prime Minister backpedalled on a promise he made to the LGBT+ community.

Opposition leader MK Tzipi Livni took part in the parade, promising he would deliver legal reform for the queer community: “We’ll be every place in Israel, not only for the LGBT community and the Druze, but for everyone. We won’t settle for parades, the real solution will be in legislation and in deep social and political change. But today is a great celebration.

“This parade is the decisive answer to the rampant incitement against the gay community.”

There was a heavy police presence at the parade, to protect marchers against far-right groups.

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