Police attack LGBTI+s' picnic: 1 person detained

* Photos: Tansu Pişkin - bianet

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The Governor's Office of Şişli has banned the picnic of LGBTI+s at Maçka Demokrasi (Democracy) Park as part of the Pride Week. Following the prevention of the Adalar (Princes' Islands) Security Directorate, the site of the picnic was moved to Maçka Demokrasi Park.

While the police closed the entrance to the park, the ones who wanted to enter were directed to the back door. In the searches done at the back door, rainbow flags and LGBTI+ flags were not allowed in.

The ones who wanted to enter the park through the main entrance were prevented from entering without any justification. People were told, "There is no reason, it is forbidden." The ones who wanted to have the picnic and the lawyers were kept waiting at the entrance for some time.

The lawyers and the picnickers were allowed to go into the park later on. The police told the group, "Don't stand side by side or we will disperse you.' After some time the police told the group to disperse.

In the meantime, the riot police officers, in addition to police officers, entered the park and set up a barricade. While the group was attempted to be taken out of the park by plainclothes police officers, lawyers Levent Pişkin and Ali Turgut, who spoke to police commanders, were attempted to be battered and detained by the police. Meanwhile, a group of plainclothes police who came from outside the park attacked the group and battered several people. 

Police has taken Efecan Bozkurt into custody and brought him to the Teşvikiye Police Station. Police also had an argument during the intervention.

Az önce Maçka Parkı'nda piknik yapan LGBTİ+'lara polisin saldırdığı anlar.#PiknikYasaklanamaz #Pride2021

Not: Videoda yoğun polis şiddeti var, tetikleyici olabilir. pic.twitter.com/LTaQ0y2ywS

— İstanbul LGBTİ+ Onur Haftası (@istanbulpride) June 22, 2021

"The moment of police attack on the LGBTI+s picnicking at Maçka Park a short time ago. Note: There is heavy police violence in the video; it may be triggering."

Lawyers not allowed into the park, either

Before the group entered the park, Umut Rışvanlı from the Pride Week Committee and lawyer Levent Pişkin made a statement in front of the main entrance. Pişkin said that he was himself not allowed to enter the park while wearing his mask with a rainbow. He briefly stated the following:

"The Law no. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations stipulates that a ban shall be notified 24 hours prior. Even though we say that such a decision of ban is not valid, even though we say that it is an unlawful practice, the police insist on not allowing us into the park.

"It is forbidden to enter with rainbow masks. It is forbidden to enter with what they call 'LGBTI elements.' They have not allowed me to enter with my mask, either. They have not allowed us to enter even though we take off the masks. And they are now searching the bags.

"They are doing this by having an irregular search warrant, they are doing this under the name of 'preventive search.' Everything that is going on here, everything happening here is unlawful."

Colorful socks, colorful hats not allowed

Umut Rışvanlı also said the following at the entrance to the park:

"We, as the İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week Committee, had a picnic event in Heybeliada (Halki) island. We moved this event to Maçka Park. The Security Director apparently threatened the business owner there. He said that he would bring riot police teams there.

"Today, the Sub-Governor's Office of Şişli announced that it had banned us from holding any events for 30 days. They are searching bags here. They don't allow what they define as 'LGBTI elements.' People are turned back from the door. But what are those elements? Colorful socks, colorful hats... Pieces like that... So the things that do not constitute any crimes...

"There are some friends of ours who have entered, who have infiltrated. We are in there, we are there with our rainbow flags." (EMK/AÖ/KÖ/SD)