For the third time since 2015, Istanbul Pride met with resistance from police and ultranationalist activists. On June 25, riot squads fired rubber bullets at those who wished to participate in the parade celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and prevented large crowds from gathering in Istanbul’s central Taksim Square. At least 44 people were detained. There was some positive news in all of this: There was no bloodshed and the detained were later released by police.
While LGBT people and their supporters have been marching all over the world in parades that emphasize the merits of diversity, respect and acceptance toward all people, pride parades in Turkey have become an easy target.
