Thousands Join Haifa Pride Rally After City Cancels Parade

Activists from Haifa’s local LGBTQ group, Haifa Rainbow, decided to stage the city’s Pride march themselves on Thursday evening after the municipality chose not to hold it. Hundreds took part in the march along HaNassi Boulevard, which then merged with the city’s Pride rally at Gan HaEm in central Carmel, attended by about 4,000 people and held under municipal auspices.

The group said it would not let Pride pass Haifa this year. Activist Lilit Bartana, who is also a member of the Roav HaIr movement leadership, said, “The march marched, that is not a question. Haifa needs it and the LGBTQ community across the country needs it. If there is no march in Israel’s third-largest city, it will be a dangerous precedent, a gift to homophobes.” She added that violence against the community in public spaces and schools had reached new highs, while government budget cuts and staff reductions were also putting community services at risk.

The city then held its official Pride rally at Gan HaEm, with heavy security from police in the Hof District deployed across Carmel, along with hundreds of private security guards and ushers. Haifa said its Pride month included more than 50 events, activities and meetings for the LGBTQ community, families and the general public across the city over the past month. Speakers from the community addressed the crowd, and information booths and other activities were set up.

Mayor Yona Yahav said Haifa is a city of “freedom, pluralism and acceptance of others,” and invited residents to join the celebration. Separately, two organizers of the Pride march in Mitzpe Ramon, Michal Romi and Anat Brandes, described rising tension and hostility there, saying the town has become more polarized and that they remain on alert ahead of the event, even as police say they are prepared.