Jerusalem Gay Pride: Thousands of revellers attend march under heavy police guard
Thousands of revellers have attended Jerusalem's Gay Pride parade under heavy police protection, a year after an ultra-Orthodox Jew killed a teenager at the march.
Key points:
Israeli media said 25,000 people took part, escorted by more than 2,000 police officers
Flowers were laid under a picture of Shira Banki who was killed at last year's march
Police arrested 30 people who they say planned to attack the march
Marchers carried rainbow flags emblazoned with the Star of David and a group banged drums as they walked.
Israeli media said a record 25,000 people took part in the parade, up from an estimated 5,000 last year.
Participant Avi Mayer said on Twitter that the numbers were "staggering".
"Far more than anyone could ever have imagined," he wrote.
They were escorted by more than 2,000 police officers who blocked off roads and set up checkpoints around the areas the march passed through.
Many laid flowers under a picture of Shira Banki, 16, who was killed at the march in July last year.
Banki was attacked at random by Yishai Shlissel, an ultra-orthodox Jew who also stabbed five other people and is now serving a life sentence.
Israeli police said they had suspected Shlissel had been in contact with his brother from prison to organise an assault on this year's parade.
His brother, Michael, was arrested and was being held in police custody as the march got underway.
Police said in a statement they uncovered information that "Yishai Shlissel had planned, with his brother Michael Schlissel, to attack march participants".
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-22/jerusalem-gay-pride-thousands-march-under-...Our thoughts to all queers around the world, persecuted via homophobic terrorism.