Thousands take to the streets in Jerusalem Pride Parade

In the spirit of Pride Month, thousands took to the streets of Jerusalem, in their annual gay pride parade. 10,000 revellers waving rainbow flags joined the carnival-like procession, as the police maintained a tight vigil. The gay community's visibility in conservative Jerusalem tends to draw vocal protests from the city's substantial Orthodox population. Ahead of the event, the city government had taken down a series of homophobic banners that had appeared on Jerusalem billboards.