A policewoman was slightly injured after being struck in the head by a stone Sunday, and property was damaged as a large police force dispersed several hundred young ultra-Orthodox demonstrators blocking Jerusalem's Sanhedria junction, in protest against the Gay Pride Parade planned for Thursday.

The incident followed Sunday afternoon's rally in Jerusalem by thousands of ultra-Orthodox against the parade.

From a stage set up on a main street, protest organizers said "he who considers himself commander of the Jerusalem police force must prevent the parade and avoid bloodshed."

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During the three-hour rally, demonstrators heard speeches by rabbis, said prayers, blew shofars and lit black candles as a sign of mourning.

The head of the ultra-Orthodox rabbinic court, Rabbi Mosher Sternbuch, said the participants in Thursday's parade, as well as the police who secured it would be "cursed."

The protest organizers, who expected a turnout of 100,000, were disappointed; a number of other ultra-Orthodox leaders had specifically told their followers not to attend.

Open House, Jerusalem's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community center told police it wants to shorten the rally segment of the Gay Pride parade set for Thursday for security reasons.

Open House Director Noa Satat wrote to the district police commander, Major General Ilan Franco, requesting to reduce the time the Gay Pride Parade would spend on King David Street from 90 minutes to 45 minutes.

She said the request had been made "to make things easier for the police and to simplify security standards Open House has to meet."

The police quickly aceded to Satat's request, but noted "the change will not effect the deployment of forces the police are fielding to secure the event."

Police have approved a 500-meter march route.

Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski and senior city administrators on Sunday published a statement condemning the Gay Pride event. The statement said it was "absurd" that "democratically elected officials of the City Council have no ability to work in the name of the interests of the city and its residents." The city called on various bodies, including the police, to immediately cancel the march.

Some 200 Bnei Brak residents blocked traffic on Sunday and burned traffic in the city in protest against the parade. One protester was arrested.