Today, it was finally the day for the Pride Gay Parade in Jerusalem. The event has been discussed for a long time, with ultra-orthodox groups doing everything in their power (which is a lot in this country, and especially in this city) to stop it.

In the end, the did have a parade, although a very short one. Maybe 3500 people participated, not all of them gay – here it is as much about freedom of speech and thought as about rights for gay people. They were protected by some 8000 security troops, polices etc. A few ultra-orthodox protesters could be seen, but in general it was a calm affair. And very modest compared to many  European events, where the parade can be a very sexy thing.