Teen stabbed at Gay Pride march in Jerusalem dies

Israeli girls cry during a gathering of hundreds of friends, classmates, teachers, members of the gay community and supporters in downtown Jerusalem on August 2, 2015 to mourn the death of Israeli Shira Banki who was stabbed at the Jerusalem Gay Pride march. Shira Banki, 16, who died of her injuries, was among six people stabbed at the Jerusalem march on July 30, 2015 by a suspect identified as an ultra-Orthodox Jew released from prison only weeks earlier for a similar attack. AFP

JERUSALEM – A teenager stabbed at a Gay Pride march died of her injuries Sunday as the attack and a firebombing that killed a Palestinian child put pressure on Israel to crack down on Jewish extremists.

Shira Banki, 16, was among six people stabbed at the Jerusalem march on Thursday by a suspect identified as an ultra-Orthodox Jew released from prison only weeks earlier for a similar attack.

The five other victims suffered light injuries.

Banki’s family said Shira had been murdered because “she came to support the rights of her friends and any person to live as they wish”.

“For no reason and due to evil, stupidity and negligence, the life of our wonderful flower was cut off,” they said in a statement.

Hundreds of mourners, including classmates, teachers, members of the gay community and supporters, held a vigil for Banki at Zion Square near the spot where she was stabbed.

They lit candles while music she loved was played through speakers and pictures of her were projected on a large screen, an AFP photographer said.