Protesters Strike Jerusalem Gay Pride

(Jerusalem) Gay Pride celebrations in Jerusalem were marred Thursday night by ultra-conservative religious groups hurling rotten eggs as the parade marched down Ben Yehuda Mall.

Two members of an extremist group were arrested. Not far from the parade route ultra-Orthodox rabbis held a rally denouncing homosexuality and burning Indian made wigs. Security surrounding the Pride celebration was unusually tight, even by Israeli standards, but police said that the demonstrations were not as severe as originally feared.

Earlier this week posters were pasted up throughout Jerusalem accusing gays of pedophilia. (story) The posters which contained threats against Pride participants were linked to the militant Jewish Defense League but police said there was little they could do to press charges.

The day before Pride a special security detail was assigned to Jerusalem mayor Uri Lupolianski after threats were received accusing him of allowing the "abomination" to take place.

Nevertheless, thousands of people took part in the celebration, the third Pride held in the city and a prelude to next year's International Pride which for the first time will be held in the Middle East and is expected to bring thousands of gays and lesbians from around the world.

The evening march ended at Liberty Bell Park where a huge party was held lasting late into the night.

Despite the condemnation of Mayor Lupolianski by fellow Orthodox Jews, he is also under attack by Open House the group that organized the Pride celebration.

The mayor prevented Rainbow flags from being put up on the parade route and the city has still not paid its share of putting on last year's Pride parade despite a court order to do so. Nor has he condemned verbal attacks on gays in recent days by religious leaders.

Rabbi David Batzri, head of the Kabbalistic "Magen David" Yeshiva in Jerusalem, said in his lecture last night, "This is not a disease or a deviation, but a straight-out abomination. Even animals don't behave this way... There is no place in the Holy City for such a phenomenon."

http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/06/060404jerusPride.htm

As i said in the other thread a few days ago, it could have been avoided if they put some thought into where they were holding it :(

Still at least nobody got seriously hurt :)

Regards,

Lee

i could put this more elegantly, but what a bunch of assholes!

and Rabbi David Batzri, animals DO behave that way.

Just what I was thinking Basschick! Scientists have even been able to produce environments in which homosexuality almost dominates. It seems to be a natural part of population control. Which is a sad thought, but the beautiful part is that nature gives us each a little something extra to keep our flames burning bright :)
I like to think of us as the keepers of the silly breeders hehehe

By the way; the idea of a huge international pride event held in the middle east is more than a little scary to me! I know i'm speaking with prejudice and ignorance, so don't bother flaming me, but it would be a nightmare if a lot of our cultures greatest assets were wiped out at once...I hope to hell i'm wrong in even following that thought process.