Turkish police detain over 50 people in crackdown on Istanbul Pride march

ISTANBUL AP Turkish functionaries detained over people attempting to march for Istanbul Pride on Sunday as part of its decade long crackdown on the event A heavy police presence in hot spots around the city prevented substantial gathering and the organization had to change the gathering location multiple times Yildiz Tar editor-in-chief of the LGBTQ rights organization and the journal Kaos GL wrote on X that people were detained at Istanbul Pride including six lawyers As of Sunday evening seven had been issued and were still in detention The Confederation of Progressive Contract Unions of Turkey or DISK broadcasted that at least three journalists were among the detained The palace regime will not be able to stay in power by demonizing the LGBTQ neighborhood noted Kezban Konukcu Member of Parliament from the Peoples Equality and Democracy Party or DEM who participated in the event Once boasting tens of thousands of participants Istanbul Pride has been banned since as the religious conservative Justice and Enhancement Party began playing up to the more conservative elements of its base Source