Anti-gay pride protest turns violent

Haredim demonstrate on Bar-Ilan Street in Jerusalem against the gay pride parade planned Thursday.
Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski
 

Thousands of haredim demonstrated in Jerusalem Sunday against this week's planned gay parade in the city in a mostly peaceful protest, save for one incident during which a policewoman was lightly wounded by a rock thrown by a protester.

The woman was evacuated to hospital for treatment. Six policemen were subsequently injured in the stone throwing, and were treated by medics on the scene.

The demonstrators, who also set trash bins on fire on a central city thoroughfare, were dispersed by police. Five protesters were arrested at the scene.

The evening protest was marked both by its surprisingly low turnout - estimated by police to be around 10,000 people - and relative calm for such a heated issue. A smaller demonstration was also held in Bnei Brak during which at least one protester was arrested.

The relatively small number of protesters represented a stunning defeat for the haredi organizers of the protest, who had expected as many as 100,000 people to turn out in force, and reflected the differences of opinion in the haredi world whether clashes with police at the event would serve their cause, with some rabbis pointedly ordering their students to stay away from the event.

Anticipating a much larger crowd, over 1,000 police officers were out in force for the evening protest, with nearby streets closed off to traffic.

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Magal
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