Arrests Made as Turkey Bans Gay Pride Parade for Second Year
Police arrested more than a dozen people who attempted to march in a banned gay pride parade in Istanbul last Sunday. The governor prevented the annual pride event from happening for the second straight year, citing safety concerns, but organizers and activists attempted to defy the order.
Riot police wearing shields and helmets sealed off the main street in central Istanbul. They fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd of 200–300 people that insisted on holding the event. Some of the demonstrators contented themselves on waving rainbow flags on the sidewalks.
Protesters said they organized in small groups to evade the police. "We're protesting spread-out, because the police are everywhere and blocking everything," one demonstrator said. A total of 19 people were arrested, including two German politicians and an American freelance photographer.
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The governor's office announced the ban only on Saturday to "safeguard security and public order" as well as the safety of tourists and participants. It also denied receiving an application for a permit for the parade. The ultra-nationalist youth group "Young Islamic Defense" threatened to instigate violence if the march went ahead.
Homosexuality is not a crime in Istanbul where gays are relatively safe compared to other places in the Middle East. There is, however, widespread homophobia among its predominantly Muslim society. Last year, the "Young Islamic Defense" distributed posters calling for the execution of all gay people.
President Tayyip Erdogan's Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been accused of imposing Islamic morality on the nation. He has previously accused Western countries of being more concerned about gay rights than the plight of Muslim refugees.
The Turkish gay pride parade has taken place since 2003 and is considered one of largest gatherings celebrating gay rights and diversity in the Muslim world. The last time it was held was in 2014 which attracted up to 100,000 people. It was stopped last year for the reason that the occasion fell within the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
