An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man stabbed six people during a gay pride parade in Jerusalem on Thursday, reported Talking Points Memo. This incident is proof that gay discrimination isn’t limited to a single religion, country, or group of people. There are fringe followers everywhere.
The attacker, Yishai Schlissel, lunged at people attending the parade and stabbed six, two are seriously injured. Ultra-Orthodox party leaders, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other state leaders condemned the attack. “People celebrating their freedom and expressing their identity were viciously stabbed,” said President Reuven Rivlin. “We must not be deluded, a lack of tolerance will lead us to disaster. We cannot allow such crimes, and we must condemn those who commit and support them.”
Schlissel was recently released from prison after serving a term for committing the exact same crime in 2005. During a gay pride parade ten years ago, he hid in a supermarket on the parade route, jumped out, and stabbed several people in attendance. Jerusalem is a deeply religious city with a large population of people who oppose homosexuality.
Gay discrimination does not remain within the confines of geographical lines. The fringe belief that gay people are evil is present the world over. This attack is proof that bigotry remains a global problem.