Turkish police detain at least 50 people, including a journalist, during an LGBTQ+ Pride event in Istanbul on Sunday, organisers say. The event proceeds despite a ban by local authorities and restrictions that limit public access to major gathering areas. Reporting from multiple outlets says police increase security around Taksim Square, a central and widely known location in the city, including the installation of iron barriers.
Organisers also report broader curbs on public assembly. One account says local officials ban demonstrations in key rally areas, including Kadikoy on the Asian side of Istanbul, and that the authorities restrict transport around the city’s main meeting points. Another outlet describes a “lockdown” of those gathering areas.
Turkey does not criminalise homosexuality, but outlets note that since 2015 Pride marches in Istanbul have been almost systematically banned and suppressed. The reports agree that the detentions occur as police respond to the gathering after the authorities imposed restrictions.
