Survivor of 2015 Jerusalem pride parade stabbing: 'I'm scared to death'

Yarden Noy, who was wounded by a religious zealot in a stabbing rampage at the march last year, will attend Thursday's event despite all the surrounding controversy.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

JULY 21, 2016 09:25

Updated: JULY 21, 2016 10:32

Jerusalem annual gay pride parade (photo credit: REUTERS) — Jerusalem annual gay pride parade

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Participants in Jerusalem's LGBT pride parade on Thursday will remain defiant in the face of dissent and the fear of violence, said a survivor of a stabbing attack at the 2015 march that claimed the life of a teenage girl.

"I'm scared to death but the message I want this march to relay is to not give in to terror," Yarden Noy, who was wounded in the stabbing, told Army Radio.

Noy explained that initially he had not planned to attend this year's parade, however "in recent days I received a lot of encouragement and I decided that there is not a choice, I have to go."

Tensions and security were heightened in Jerusalem ahead of the contested parade in the conservative capital.

Security forces were bolstering in preparation for the procession taking place the year after religious extremist Yishai Schlissel murdered 16-year-old Shira Banki and wounded six others in a stabbing attack at the event.

On Wednesday, police arrested Michael Schlissel, a brother of Yishai Schlissel as well as three other siblings and their mother on suspicion of “seeking to interfere” with this year’s event.

Also on Wednesday, Jerusalem police arrested a resident of the capital, suspected on the basis of intelligence information of seeking to harm participants in Thursday’s Jerusalem LGBT Pride Parade.

Jerusalem police head Asst.-Ch. Yoram Halevi said the force had taken several actions to prevent efforts “to disrupt” the parade.

The parade will start at 5 p.m. at Liberty Park up Keren Hayesod/King George, turn right at Meir Shacham, left at Rabbi Akiva, right onto Hillel, right at Menashe Ben Israel, and conclude at Independence Park.

Following the march, a rally will be held at 8 p.m.

Daniel K. Eisenbud contributed to this report.