Istanbul, June 18, (dpa/GNA) – Activists in Istanbul turned out to march against the discrimination of trans people, despite officials banning the city’s Trans Pride Parade on Sunday, over fears it posed a threat to family values.
However, police were nevertheless able to prevent parade participants from demonstrating at the city’s central Taksim Square with large-scale roadblocks.
Metro connections that could have shuttled protesters to Taksim Square were also interrupted. According to activist association Kaos GL, police mounted “attacks” on demonstration participants.
The governor of Istanbul, Davut Gül, had already announced in a tweet on Friday, that he would not allow any events “that endanger our institution of the family.”
Other Turkish cities also banned marches and events related to the annual pride month, which takes place every year around the world in June and serves, among other things, to improve the visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) community.
Turkish officials have banned such events in previous years. The Turkish government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly expressed strong anti-LGBTQ sentiments.
GNA