Turkish police, who prevented hundreds of people from gathering on Sunday for the annual LGBT+ Pride Parade in Istanbul, detained dozens of people after local authorities banned the demonstration again this year.
Thousands of people attended the LGBT+ Pride Parade on Istanbul’s main Istiklal Street, but in recent years the government led by President Tayyip Erdogan and the AK Party, with its Islamic roots, has hardened its stance against the LGBT+ community.
Homosexuality is not a crime in Turkey, but hostility towards the community is widespread, and police crackdown on demonstrations has gotten more and more harsh over the years.
On Sunday, riot police blocked access to Taksim Square and closed many streets in the Cihangir district where people were trying to gather. Public transport in the area has also been stopped.
Local authorities in Beyoğlu district banned Pride Week events between 20-26 June, saying that they might disturb the public due to social sensitivities.
Small groups holding rainbow flags on Sunday gathered for as little time as they could and chanted slogans before they were dispersed by the police and chased through the streets, forcing some into custody.
source: Noticias
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