Ilan Franco
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
Orthodox against parade
Photo: Haim Tzach
Posters in J’lem: Franco, go back to Nazi Germany
Ultra-Orthodox protesting gay pride parade issue threats to Jerusalem police chief Ilan Franco. Posters hung in local synagogues call Frano 'grandson of Franco Stangl, SS commander in Treblinka death camp, your end is as your Nazi grandfather'
Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox community has stepped up its protest against the upcoming gay pride parade which is set to take place next week in Jerusalem.
On Friday posters were hung in a number of synagogues around the capital with harsh invectives aimed at Jerusalem police chief Ilan Franco. One slogan charged that Franco was the grandson of notorious SS officer in Treblinka Franz Stangl. Police said they viewed the offenses with severity and opened an investigation into the incident.
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The pride parade has roused a storm in the haredi community, and in recent days hundreds of Orthodox have demonstrated and rioted against the march.
Protestors didn’t hesitate to hurl stones at police, but now they have singled out the district police chief himself. Already on Thursday Jerusalem police received intelligence information that there was a plot against Franco. Today, so to speak, the writing was on the wall.
The posters, which were removed by police and taken to the police station, read: “Ilan Franco, grandson of Franco Stangl the SS commander in the Treblinka death camp, your end is as your Nazi grandfather. Your memory is a disgrace forever; go back to Nazi Germany.”
Police have boosted forces in the past week to deal with the disturbances of the peace in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. Friday morning, Jerusalem police brought 10 haredi men suspected of disturbing the police for a remand hearing. Five more detainees were released with restraining orders barring them from Jerusalem.
Earlier Friday afternoon some 200 haredim demonstrated at Shabbat Square and lit garbage cans on fire. The square was closed to traffic.
Jerusalem police were preparing for renewed disruptions Saturday night at the conclusion of the Sabbath. With that, police did not rule out the possibility that there could be disruptions during the Sabbath as well.
On Sunday Franco is expectedto meet with Police commissioner Moshe Karadi to present the information collected on threats regarding the parade.
