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| Arrests over Jerusalem gay parade | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A Gay Pride march in Jerusalem has begun amid tight security, sparking fierce protests among the holy city's religious communities. | |
| An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man was arrested for planning to bomb the parade, Israeli police said. | |
| Fifteen other people were arrested for throwing stones at police after Israel's High Court rejected an appeal by religious groups to ban the march. | |
| More than 7,000 police were deployed to secure the parade to prevent clashes. | |
| Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said officers found an explosive device in the bag of the alleged bomb plotter. | |
| "He admitted he planned on planting it on the route of the parade today," Mr Rosenfeld said. | |
| Parade protests | |
| Hundreds of people joined the march, holding bright balloons, singing and holding posters of Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama, the Associated Press news agency reported. | |
| March organisers were expecting 5,000 people to attend. | |
| "We are thrilled to be here today, celebrating our freedom of speech in the centre of Jerusalem," Noa Satat, chairwoman of gay-rights group Open House, told Reuters news agency. | |
| Several hundred ultra-Orthodox Jews held protests against the parade at the entrance to the city, setting rubbish bins on fire and waving banners that said "Shame". | |
| Ultra-Orthodox Jews have protested repeatedly against the march in the past week, burning tyres, confronting police and damaging police cars. | Ultra-Orthodox Jews have protested repeatedly against the march in the past week, burning tyres, confronting police and damaging police cars. |
| A larger event in Tel Aviv passed off peacefully earlier this month | |
| More than 1,000 firefighters went on strike last week, refusing to grant a licence to the parade's organisers, forcing them to cancel a rally at the end of the march. | |
| The event, held in Jerusalem since 2001, has been denounced in the past by conservative Jewish, Christian and Muslim groups which share a view that homosexuality is an abomination. | The event, held in Jerusalem since 2001, has been denounced in the past by conservative Jewish, Christian and Muslim groups which share a view that homosexuality is an abomination. |
| But civil liberties groups argue that it celebrates diversity in the holy city. | |
| "The question of 'why in Jerusalem' is not a question. It is the same question as letting women vote," said Dana Olmert, daughter of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, herself a lesbian, in an interview with Israel's Army radio. | "The question of 'why in Jerusalem' is not a question. It is the same question as letting women vote," said Dana Olmert, daughter of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, herself a lesbian, in an interview with Israel's Army radio. |
| Last year, it was relocated to a sports stadium due to security concerns. | |
| In 2005, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish protester stabbed and wounded three people despite a heavy police presence at the event. | In 2005, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish protester stabbed and wounded three people despite a heavy police presence at the event. |
| Israel's largest annual Gay Pride parade held in the mainly secular city of Tel Aviv passed off peacefully earlier this month. About 20,000 people attended the event. | Israel's largest annual Gay Pride parade held in the mainly secular city of Tel Aviv passed off peacefully earlier this month. About 20,000 people attended the event. |