Jerusalem gays hold eighth pride parade despite ongoing controversy

Jerusalem - Amid a heavy police presence, hundreds of Israelis gathered Wednesday for Jerusalem's annual Gay Pride Parade, the eighth in the city where most leaders of all three monotheistic faiths oppose the gathering. More than 1,500 police were on the streets to protect the marchers, who gathered in West Jerusalem's central Bell Park, from where they would continue up the closed off King David Street to the city's Independence Park. The parade comes two weeks after its counterpart in the largely secular sea-side city of Tel Aviv, which drew tens of thousands. Unlike the pulsating parade in Israel's secular capital, the parade in Jerusalem was far more muted. Few, if any marchers, wore flamboyant costumes, and except for three men discreetly dressed as women, there were no drag queens. In the overwhelmingly religious city... [read full story]                    

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