Amid tensions and mass protests over equal surrogacy rights for gay couples in Israel, tens of thousands of people were expected to march Thursday afternoon in what is being billed as the largest-ever Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem.
The march, scheduled to begin at Liberty Bell Park at 4 p.m. local time under heavy police protection, marks three years since an ultra-Orthodox zealot, Yishai Schlissel, stabbed teenage marcher Shira Banki to death and wounded several others.
Organizers said around 30,000 people are expected to join the march, which will end at Independence Park after winding its way down Keren Hayesod, Hillel and Moshe Ben Yisrael streets.
Some 2,500 police officers will be deployed to guard the parade, including Border Police and plainclothes officers. Police will restrict entry points to the march, and perform security checks.
Several roads near the parade route will be closed off to vehicular traffic from 3 p.m.
Activists say there has been a rise in anti-LGBT activity ahead of the parade. Earlier this week, a memorial to Banki was vandalized. On Tuesday, a man said he was attacked for walking around with a Gay Pride flag. Last week, anti-gay graffiti was scrawled near the spot where Banki was killed.
"In the face of the hatred and fear that has led to violence and murder, we refuse to be silent," the Jerusalem Open House, which is organizing the march, said in a statement. "Despite these tragedies, we will march on with pride and demand our equal rights against all of those who try to stop and humiliate us."
Police have given permits to two groups to protest the march: the ultra-nationalist Lehava group, which will hold a protest near the start of the march route, and the Orthodox group Liba, which will demonstrate against the event at the entrance to Jerusalem.
