İstanbul Trans Pride March: Detained activists released

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Detained individuals from the 9th İstanbul Trans Pride March, which was relocated following a ban by the Governor's Office, have been released after enduring police aggression during the demonstration.

The event was originally scheduled to take place in Taksim. However, a small group of activists later gathered in the Harbiye quarter, about a kilometer away from Taksim Square, to read out a statement. In this way, the activists were able to deliver their message and limit the number of detained individuals, as there was no police presence in the side street where they gathered.

Following the statement in Harbiye yesterday, the situation took a violent turn as the police intervened in. Among the individuals subjected to physical violence and taken into custody were 10 people, including members of the Pride Week Committee.

The individuals were released late in the evening after providing their statements at the police directorate.

Restrictions on Pride Month events

The decision to restrict the Trans Pride March came after a subtly worded tweet by the governor of İstanbul, Davut Gül, on Friday. He made it clear that permission would not be granted for the event, saying, "No activity that threatens our family institution, which is the guarantee of our nation and state, will be allowed. Groups engaging in unauthorized demonstrations will never be permitted."

The ban on the Trans Pride March is part of a broader pattern of recent restrictions and attempts to marginalize the LGBTI+ community by the government. Since the start of the Pride Month, various events, ranging from film screenings to tea gatherings, have faced prohibitions imposed by the authorities.

Notably, the last LGBTI+ event officially permitted in Taksim was the renowned Pride March held in 2014, which saw a massive turnout of thousands of participants.

Taksim Square and İstiklal Avenue have long served as vital hubs for various social movements in Turkey, particularly for left-wing causes. However, over the past decade, the government led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has consistently denied permission for numerous events, including May Day celebrations, International Women's Day Marches, Saturday Mothers/People gatherings, and LGBTI+ marches, often accompanied by forceful police response. (EMK/VK)