Jerusalem police: Forget about gay parade

[Poll_Blind]

  This spawned a few threads last month with a fair number of replies. Looks ilke they could overcome the threats, the war but, ultimately, not the police. Good news though, I remember reading that the police have had to pay out (in the past) to the group ("Open House") after denying their rights- likely under pressure from conservative religious elements who have repeatedly threatened violence against the parade-goers.

From YNet News, four hours ago:

Only one day after the Open House for Pride and Tolerance announced that the World Pride parade would be held in Jerusalem on September 21, the Jerusalem police announced on Tuesday afternoon that they would not allow the parade to be held next month due to the busy holiday season.

--snip--

In the summer, the Open House members asked to hold the gay parade in Jerusalem, but the organizers eventually canceled the march due to the war in southern Lebanon.

--snip--

"It is important that the Jerusalem Municipality and the police do not attempt to stand in the way of the freedom of speech. They should regain their composure and enter a matter-of-fact dialog with the Open House regarding the parade which will be held on September 21. If needed, we will not hesitate to petition the court. The Open House has yet to receive any official response from the police on the request submitted regarding the parade," he said.

Open House officials explained that holding the parade this year, one day before Rosh Hashana, constitutes "a key role in the ongoing struggle for promoting the freedom of speech, the rights of the community in Jerusalem and promoting democratic and pluralistic values in the city and outside of it."

Some previous threads about this parade:

July 7, 2006 - N.Y. rabbi arrives to fight gay pride parade to be held in J'lem
July 11, 2006 - Israel flyers advocate killing of gays
July 22, 2006 - Jerusalem gay parade called off due to war

PB

[daleo]

1. Good luck to them

I hope they are allowed to put on the parade. It would boost Israel's reputation among western liberals, but it would go against the grain as far as western fundamentalist Christian support goes. I suppose similar considerations must apply domestically within Israel.

[rodeodance]

2. so, --the Police make this decision?????

[Xeric]

3. Pretty sad

to see the number of bigoted opinions attached to the article and from the accompanying opinion by one Andrew Friedman. His argument seems to be that us fags should go march in an Arab area and not stain holy Jerusalem. Further evidence of the increasing pull of the rightwing religious parties in Israel. They, the right wing political parties, and their American "Christian Zionist" allies, along with the neocons, have really made things worse there.

[xchrom]

4. where ever you go -- there they are.

self righteous bigots -- blessed by god in their angry dementia.

this time supported by the police.

[NOLADEM]

5. Maybe one day the Jews will experience such bigotry and will learn....

Or, maybe not.

Sad really.

First, they came for the gays, but I was not worried, because I was not one of them...