Crackdown Begins Ahead of Istanbul Pride
Repression Intensifies Before the Parade Even Begins
Authorities in Istanbul arrested more than 50 individuals as they attempted to gather for the LGBTQI+ Pride March, which had once again been officially banned. The arrests took place early in the morning in the Ortaköy district, where demonstrators had started to convene. According to AFP journalists on the ground, the heavy police presence completely prevented the march from taking place.
The Istanbul Bar Association condemned the operation on the social platform X, stating: “Four of our colleagues, including members of our Human Rights Center who were present as legal observers, along with over 50 individuals, have been unlawfully and arbitrarily detained.” The organization Stop Homophobia confirmed that several lawyers and journalists were among those arrested. By the evening, only seven people had been released, with the majority still in police custody.
Taksim Square Secured, Pride Shut Down
Taksim Square, a historic epicenter for protests in Istanbul, was sealed off by police from early morning hours. This preventive strategy by Turkish authorities reflects a broader pattern of suppressing LGBTQI+ visibility, which the government regularly portrays as a societal threat. Blocking access to such an iconic location served as a clear signal that any form of assembly would be met with zero tolerance.
A Ban in Place Since 2015
Istanbul Pride has been officially banned since 2015, despite the fact that homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey. Over the years, the political climate has become more hostile under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose conservative administration frequently issues stigmatizing rhetoric against the LGBTQI+ community. The last authorized Pride March in 2014 gathered over 100,000 participants—a level of turnout not seen since.
This year, the ban was once again justified by invoking “calls to demonstrate from marginal groups.” Istanbul Governor Davut Gül stated: “These calls violate societal harmony, the family structure, and moral values. No demonstration or march that threatens public order will be tolerated.”
Defiance Endures Despite Suppression
In spite of mounting repression, some activists continued to resist. On Sunday, a small group of demonstrators waved rainbow flags and chanted slogans promoting freedom and equality. A video shared by the Queer Feminist Collective at Universities on X showed protesters fleeing from police forces while singing, “We did not back down, we came, we believed, we are here.”
A Tense Climate Across Europe
The situation in Turkey echoes broader tensions across Europe surrounding LGBTQI+ rights. Just a day earlier in Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán attempted—unsuccessfully—to prohibit the city’s Pride March. In defiance of his government’s opposition, nearly 200,000 people took to the streets, marking a record turnout for an event that typically draws between 30,000 and 50,000 participants.
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