Istanbul: Arrests at banned Pride parade

Although the parade for the rights of gay, trans and queer people had been banned by the Turkish authorities, numerous demonstrators gathered in downtown Istanbul. There were dozens of arrests.

According to the organizers, more than 200 people were arrested at a Pride parade for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex people (LGBTQI) in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul. The police cordoned off the central district of Cihangir and prevented people from gathering, a reporter from the dpa news agency reported. Turkish authorities had previously banned the demonstration, citing security concerns.

The security forces reportedly surrounded people with rainbow flags and other symbols of sexual and gender diversity and took them into custody before the demonstration began. The AFP news agency spoke of “indiscriminate” arrests in several bars in the Cihangir district. According to several eyewitnesses, the police tried to prevent members of the press from filming the arrests. An AFP photographer and other journalists were among those arrested.

Amnesty International calls for their release

Despite the massive police presence, numerous people gathered in the side streets and waved rainbow flags. Local residents banged on pots and pans in protest at the arrests. Various associations had called for the parade under the motto “Resistance”. Among other things, they criticized an increasing anti-LGBTQI climate in the country. In addition to the march, other events as part of the so-called “Pride Week” were also prohibited. “Anyone arrested solely for taking part in the Pride march must be released immediately and unconditionally,” Amnesty International’s Milena Buyum said.

Berlin-based activist Liana Georgi, who lives in Istanbul, told dpa that she perceived the situation as “scary” and more tense than in previous years. The police literally “hunted” the demonstrators. “But I find it absolutely admirable how people still manage to get together and demonstrate peacefully,” said Georgi.

Pride parade until 2014 with tens of thousands of participants

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, called on the Turkish authorities on Friday to allow the parade to take place. “The human rights of LGBTQI people in Turkey must be effectively protected,” she said.

The “Pride Parade” in the Turkish metropolis could take place undisturbed for more than ten years with steadily growing numbers of participants. By 2104, the event had grown to more than 100,000 protesters. In 2015, the parade was banned for the first time and it was banned in the following years.