Border Police to deploy 2,000 troops at J’lem gay pride parade

All of the 2,000 Border Police troops stationed in the Palestinian territories will be deployed to guard the gay pride parade in Jerusalem next week, Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi said Tuesday.

Speaking at the police’s first planning conference ahead of the parade next Friday, Karadi said he would personally supervise the deployment of forces in the capital. He instructed Jerusalem District Police chief Ilan Frank to continue intelligential and operational arrangements for the parade.

Police decided to expand the initial number of forces intended for the parade after receiving intelligence information regarding plans by ultra-Orthodox and extreme rightists to hold violent protests and attack parade participants.

Karadi said the police would ensure that freedom of expression and democracy was were not violated, but would also work to protect the security of participants and maintain public order.

Police commissioners across the country have been instructed to conduct evaluations within their districts of possible peace disturbance plans in light of the parade.

Security alerts will be raised to the highest level on the day of the parade. All officers planning to take vacation then have been instructed to reschedule.

Officers have been instructed to deal with disturbances according to the same policy used during anti-disengagement protests. Forces will be trained to confront attacks from protesters and will be equipped with horses and tools to break up protests.

Meanwhile, some 150 ultra-Orthodox demonstrators marched in Jerusalem on Tuesday to protest the upcoming parade.

The 2005 Jerusalem pride parade was cut short when an ultra-Orthodox protester stabbed three marchers.

This year’s parade, in which some 5,000 people are expected to march, will begin in the city’s Independence Park, run through Agron Street and French Square, and end at Bell Garden.