18-year-old Haifa resident arrested for allegedly threatening LGBTQ community and Bennett amid Pride Month

An 18-year-old Haifa resident was arrested this evening on suspicion of posting online threats against the LGBTQ community and against former prime minister Naftali Bennett, police say.

The suspect allegedly threatened to harm members of Haifa’s LGBTQ community in connection with upcoming Pride Month events.

The Aguda LGBTQ organization says it had filed an emergency complaint with police after the group was tagged early on Monday — “minutes into Pride Month” — in a series of X posts that depicted the deadly 2009 shooting at the Bar Noar gay youth bar in Tel Aviv, as well as “a senior political figure with an X engraved on its head.”

“It’s a painful reminder that the hatred and wild incitement against the LGBTQ community is still raging and could turn into physical violence,” the Aguda says. “We implore all entities responsible for our security to be especially vigilant.”