Over 20,000 people took to the street for Jerusalem Pride on Thursday (2 August).
The crowd size was estimated as the largest Jerusalem Pride march ever.
🏳️🌈 Thousands march in largest-ever Jerusalem Pride Parade for #LGTB rights and tolerance. pic.twitter.com/k09Ivvxm7g
— Xavi Ruiz 🎗 (@xruiztru) 2 August 2018
It’s called #Pride because we’re so proud to be marching for #LGBTQ #Equality and #equal #rights for all! #JerusalemPride pic.twitter.com/8TywfbQmyE
— IRAC (@Israel_RAC) 2 August 2018
The Pride march saw a heightened security presence.
Thousands of police and security personnel (both uniformed and plainclothes) were on hand to monitor the event.
#JerusalemPride attracted about 30,000 people, making it the city’s largest #pride ever. It comes after protests against surrogacy law that excludes same-sex couples, and 3 years after a deadly knife attack by an ultra-Orthodox man. https://t.co/tft0nIk1ps #LGBT #LGBTQ #LGBTpride pic.twitter.com/ftLPpiyLTR
— LGBT+ News (@mondokoosh) 2 August 2018
The lead-up to the march had been hit by controversies and security concerns.
Last month, there were protests throughout Israel after gay couples were denied rights to state-sponsored surrogacy
But on the day of the Pride march, Jerusalem Pride was met by an outpouring of support from both those in Israel and abroad.
U.S. Jerusalem Consulate staff are marching in Jerusalem Pride. What would Mike Pence think? pic.twitter.com/1Qb5uBDiZC
— Haggai Matar (@Ha_Matar) August 2, 2018
Joining the diverse crowd at the biggest ever #Jerusalem March for #Pride & Tolerance pic.twitter.com/Z7MgHCtUo4
— EU in Israel (@EUinIsrael) 2 August 2018
There were also remembrances of Shira Banki, a 16-year-old was fatally stabbed by an Orthodox extremist at Jerusalem Pride in 2015.
While 20k marched in Thursday’s #JerusalemPride parade, this dear Hassidic man stood near the spot where a teenage marcher was murdered 3 years ago by a religious fanatic. He is holding a sign that says: “You will love your neighbor as yourself.” pic.twitter.com/LZoe4ML3T4
— Michael S. Lipkin (@yonidoe) 3 August 2018
