Ban on Pride March at METU
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Middle East Technical University (METU/ODTÜ) has banned the Pride Parade organized by METU LGBTIQAA+ Solidarity to be held on the campus in Ankara on June 10.
"All kinds of security measures will be undertaken," said the rector's office today (June 7) in a written statement sent to university students.
METU LGBTIQAA+ Solidarity announced that the 10th METU Pride Parade will be held with the theme "Remember!" this year.
10. ODTÜ Onur Yürüyüşüne sayılı günler kaldı. Sen de mücadelemizi #hatırla ve 10 Haziran saat 18:00'de Fizik Çimlerinde aramıza katıl! Dünden bugüne yaşadıklarımızı derlediğimiz ''10. ODTÜ Onur Yürüyüşü'ne Çağrı'' videosu AnlatHocam YouTube kanalında yayında! İyi seyirler... pic.twitter.com/2uRTXSsPBo
— ODTÜ Medya Topluluğu (@_odtumedya_) June 6, 2022
Not long after, METU rectorate's announcement came:
"A certain group is trying to present the campus of our university as a place where they can make their illegal march" stated the rectorate adding: "The march planned by that group was strictly not allowed."
The rectorate also warned students that "all kinds of security measures will be undertaken" if there will be students participating in the march.
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"Get used to it, we're here, we're not leaving"
Upon the announcement of the rectorate, METU LGBTIQAA+ Solidarity published a statement stating, "We will march".
"As if they do not know who we are, they are trying to criminalize us like a group trying to create problems on the campus. We are a group with a history of 25 years and for the last 10 years, we have been organizing the march."
" As the queer community of the campus, we were always here and we will continue to be here. Although we had applied many times to be registered as an official club, they always rejected us. This email sent to students also shows their queerphobia."
"Holding marches and demonstrations is a constitutional right. They can say whatever they want. 10th METU Pride Parade will be held and our campus will be full of colors once again. We will march."
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About METU LGBTIQAA+ Solidarity It was founded in 1996 with the aim of establishing gender equality, struggling against LGBTI+phobia, and making the METU campus safe for LGBTIQAA+ individuals. For the last years, several LGBTIQAA+ events planned to be held at METU have been prevented by the university presidency by either cutting the electricity of the buildings in question or inviting the police to the campus. The METU Presidency has also launched administrative investigations against the students organizing these events. The solidarity group had applied to register as an official club, twice previously, however, the applications had been declined by METU Rectorate. On May 31 the group announced that they had applied to METU Rectorate again to register as an official community. The METU LGBTIQAA+ Solidarity became a member of the European Pride Organizers Association (EPOA) in 2020. |
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(TY/TB)