The year 2021 in Turkey: Picnic is forbidden, so is marching

* Photos: Evrim Kepenek / bianet

Click to read the article in Turkish

"They are afraid of love because love creates a world they cannot control." George Orwell

Don't panic over the title of the article, please! These bans only apply to LGBTI+s, women, students and Kurds. So, the opposition of this country...

You probably remember that the picnic organized by the İstanbul Pride Month Committee as part of the 29th İstanbul Pride Week was banned.

Following this ban on the picnic in İstanbul's Maçka Park, the 19th İstanbul Pride March to be held in Taksim was also banned. The year is 2021.

'Our existence is an honor'

All these are happening in Turkey, a country that "dreams" of being a member of the European Union (EU), which is associated with norms, principles and, relatively, with justice.

If we were to look at the sky in İstanbul's Taksim on Saturday (June 26), what we saw would probably be the LGBTI+s, saying, 'Love is love' and 'Our existence is an honor' and making a flag for themselves out of the rainbow, and the hatred of the police, running after them.

The 19th İstanbul Pride March was actually scheduled for 5 p.m. in Mis Street near the İstiklal Avenue. But as the first police attack and the ban of the Beyoğlu Sub-Governor's Office came at 3 p.m., the march dispersed into the streets of Taksim, Cihangir and Karaköy.

* Photo: Meydan Newspaper

There were slogans coming from every street, blaring out "Long live life just to spite hate". Every word of love rising to the sky was met with violence.

My insistence on entering Mis Street fell apart after I told the police, "I am a journalist", showing him my press card, and he responded, "Our directors said that we especially shouldn't allow journalists."

So, I trailed behind a group of LGBTI+s. After I was pushed alongside them, I found myself on the streets of Cihangir.

That was when it happened. On the one side, there were slogans of love; on the other, there were pepper gas and plastic bullets.

On the one side, there was the slogan "Homophobic state will of course come down." On the other, an officer was saying, "Take them all."

When the pepper gas of the police hit a house, someone went out of the window and asked, "There is a child sleeping here, what are you doing?" The police answered with an order of "Go and take this guy."

Lubunyas [queers] said, "Love"; the police answered, "We will take you unless you disperse." As for citizens, they were crying out loud: "Enough is enough now, let the young people alone."

It was actually a day when we were surprised at our own surprise in the face of it all. Sometimes, I think to myself, "If lubunyas said 'hate' rather than 'love', would they still be targeted so much?"

I mean, really... Those who give these decisions of ban;

What do you think?

CLICK - Police attack LGBTI+s' picnic: 1 person detained

CLICK - 19th İstanbul Pride March: Police attack in Taksim

CLICK - We want Taksim, İstanbul and all cities and rurals'

(EMK/SD)