The Israeli Consulate of New York is cutting back on its presence at New York City’s Pride march this weekend due to safety concerns and the solemn mood in Israel following months of war, according to the consulate’s spokesperson. Itay Milner, the consulate’s spokesperson, said in a phone call that a smaller number of representatives from the consulate will walk in the NYC Pride March on Sunday in comparison to years prior, without specifying exact numbers.
The decision to pare down also follows weeks of disruptions to some Pride parades by pro-Palestinian protesters in American cities this June. Pro-Palestinian activists have blocked Pride marches, including in Boston, Philadelphia and Denver, in protest of the Israel-Hamas war and the deaths and suffering it has caused. Other than several scuffles between police and protesters, the war-related protests at Pride marches this month were nonviolent.