3,500 at first Beersheba gay pride parade; man arrested with knife

Some 3,500 people attended the first-ever Gay Pride parade in the southern city of Beersheba on Thursday.

Two ultra-Orthodox men, one carrying a knife, were arrested nearby. One was found armed with a knife in the vicinity of the parade and the second had attempted to forcibly enter the procession.

According to the Walla news website, the two were later released.

Two years ago teen Shira Banki was killed and five people injured by a Jewish religious extremist armed with a knife at a pride parade in central Jerusalem.

Hundreds of police, border guards and volunteers were deployed to protect the Beersheba marchers.

In previous years, Beersheba’s pride events have been smaller, usually taking place at the city’s youth center. This year was its first full-fledged public parade.

Last year organizers canceled the event to protest a High Court of Justice ruling that barred participants from marching through Rager Boulevard, citing fears of violence.

Opinion in the city is divided over holding the parade, with many expressing support for the event on social media. Last week police arrested a 17-year-old for posting on Facebook, “Soon there will be an attack on the first ever gay pride parade in Beersheba.”

Earlier this month over 200,000 people attended Tel Aviv’s Gay Pride Parade, including an estimated 30,000 people who came from abroad to take part.