Opposition
Virulent opposition from Haredi and other Orthodox Jewish corners as well as from the Israeli Arab sector has led many to believe that unless the gay pride parade was canceled, a violent outcome would be unavoidable. Others who came out against the parade include Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Amar.
The main opposition from the Haredi Jewish sector was organized by the Edah HaChareidis rabbinical organization. On 18 October, Rabbis from across the Orthodox spectrum called for the parade to be forbidden. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who was one of the first to express his opposition, called for a "demonstration of a million".
Well-known right-wing activists Baruch Marzel, Itamar Ben Gvir and Hillel Weiss called for a 'holy war' against the parade and announced that unless the parade were cancelled, it would lead to violence. The organizers of the parade filed a police complaint against them, accusing them of incitement to murder.
On the night of Thursday 2 November, a demonstration in Meah Shearim led to rioting. Thousands of protesters blocked roads with burning garbage cans, and police responded in force, sending hundreds of Yassam riot police and Border Police armed with batons, water cannons and horses. Seven policemen and an unknown number of protestors were wounded. Haredi spokesmen strongly spoke out against the police for using an "excessive level of violence".
The organizers, of the Jerusalem Open House organization made plans to deal with contingencies including multiple wounded and dead. However, the parade was eventually held with no casualties.
Read more about this topic: 2006 Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade
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