Turkish police prevent Istanbul Pride from going ahead
ISTANBUL, June 26 (Reuters) - Turkish police blocked hundreds of people from gathering for Istanbul's annual Pride parade on Sunday and detained dozens after local authorities banned the march from going ahead again this year.
Thousands of people used to attend Pride marches on Istanbul's main Istiklal Avenue but in recent years the government led by President Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted AK Party has toughened its stance on LGBTQ+ freedom.
Homosexuality is not a crime in Turkey, but hostility to it is widespread and the police crackdown on the parades have been increasingly tougher over the years.
On Sunday, police in riot gear prevented access to Taksim Square and blockaded many streets in the nearby Cihangir neighbourhood, where people tried convene. Public transportation in the area was also shut down.
Local authorities in the Beyoglu district banned all Pride Week events between June 20-26, saying they could lead to public unrest due to society's sensitivities.
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkish-police-prevent-istanbul-pride-going-ahead-2022-06-26/?taid=62b8b99b7240840001f33b56&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
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Or with racism.
It's not even close to 'the worst' here in the USA.
This was my shot from 2 weeks ago ... there's dozens of countries, with collectively billions of residents, where this would NEVER happen due to homophobia.
