Turkish police detain 50 at banned Istanbul Pride parade

Parade defies ban, police respond with mass detentions

Despite an official prohibition and the sealing off of Taksim Square with iron fences, the Istanbul Pride parade went ahead on June 28. Police detained at least 50 participants, including journalist Müberra Ünsal, who was taken into custody even after identifying herself as a reporter, the Turkish Journalists' Union said on X. Authorities also restricted public transport and blocked other gathering spots, including areas in the Asian-side district of Kadıköy. Plainclothes officers quickly dispersed demonstrators who tried to assemble there, whistling as they marched, according to footage.

“You cannot silence our voices through repression, our slogans through bans.”

Escalating repression: arrests and closures

The parade crackdown is the latest in a series of moves against LGBTQ people in Turkey. On Friday, queer journalist Yildiz Tar was arrested. A day later, authorities ordered the closure of a gay bar in the Beyoglu entertainment district, citing unspecified legal violations, state news agency Anadolu reported. In recent weeks, numerous X accounts advocating for LGBTQ rights have been blocked. The Istanbul Bar Association responded by unfurling a banner on Istiklal Street.

“LGBT is a human right.”

Government rhetoric and long-standing ban

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has regularly vilified the LGBTQ community, blaming it for the country's declining birth rate. Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but the Pride parade has been systematically banned since 2015, with authorities citing security concerns. This year's prohibition was accompanied by the physical lockdown of central Istanbul, including the popular Istiklal shopping street.

Organizers and activists push back

Organizers accused the government of targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans people instead of effectively tackling violent crimes such as femicides and rapes. "We will not be regulated by bans and hate politics," they said. The defiance of the ban, even in the face of mass detentions, signals continued resistance despite the intensifying crackdown.