By, Daniel Sugarman
1 min read
ByDaniel Sugarman, Daniel Sugarman
LGBT revellers took to the streets in Jerusalem on Thursday evening under tight security after police announced that they had foiled an assault planned by last year’s attacker.
Yishai Schlissel, who killed a young girl taking part in last year’s Gay Pride parade, was arrested in his cell on suspicion of plotting to attack the march for a second time along with his brother, Michael.
Michael was also arrested, and other members of the Schlissel family were initially arrested and subsequently issued with restraining orders.
This year there were a record 25,000 people present, over five times the number of those who marched last year. Politicians from the Likud and Yesh Atid parties, as well as a number of MKs from the Zionist Union coalition, also took part in the event.
However, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat decided not to attend the parade, writing in Israeli newspaper Yediot Acharonot that he did not “want to be part of something that offends the strictly-Orthodox community and the religious Zionist community”.
Mr Barkat made it clear, however, that the parade had every right to go ahead, and that “the Jerusalem municipality, the police and I will do all we can to enable them to exercise their right”.
In an online video address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support for the parade, saying: “Sadly, some elements of our society are still not yet ready to accept the LGBT community.
“My solemn promise to you today is to continue fostering respect for all of Israel's citizens, without exception.”
The event was dedicated to Shira Banki, the 16-year-old killed by Mr Schlissel during last year’s march.
Speaking at the event, her parents, Ori and Mika, said: “The lesson that we all have to learn from Shira's murder and from our national destruction 2000 years ago is that moderation is a good virtue for all of us; because any kind of radicalisation is a sure path towards destruction.”
