As of: 06/27/2021 2:53 a.m.
Despite a ban on demonstrations, hundreds of people gathered in Istanbul for a Pride parade. The police used tear gas and rubber bullets. Several people were reportedly arrested.
In Istanbul, the police used tear gas against participants in a Pride parade. Despite the ban on demonstrations, hundreds of people had gathered for the rally. Protective clothing blocked streets and riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters. Plastic bullets were also reportedly fired into the crowd.
According to the organizers, several people were arrested. The Cumhuriyet newspaper reported at least 25 arrests. One of their photographers was also arrested, according to the AFP news agency. Accordingly, the photojournalist Bülent Kilic was held for hours at a police station before he was released. Because of his “violent arrest” he reported that he was against the police officers involved.
Protest against LGBTQI + hostility
Various associations called for the parade under the motto “The street is ours”. The protesters criticized, among other things, an increasingly LGBTQI + hostile climate in the country. LGBTQI + stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, inter and queer people and the plus sign as a placeholder for other identities.
Barriers had been set up around the venue the day before, and the demonstration was prohibited by the district government a few hours before the planned start. The order was issued with reference to the Demonstration Act, which allows bans, among other things, for violating “morality”. Turkish authorities have banned Pride events in Istanbul since 2015 with reference to public safety and most recently pandemic-related restrictions.