{"id":1557,"date":"2026-06-28T22:18:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T22:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabnewsmonitor.com\/2026\/06\/28\/turkey-police-detain-dozens-at-lgbtq-pride-event-in-istanbul\/"},"modified":"2026-06-28T22:18:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T22:18:17","slug":"turkey-police-detain-dozens-at-lgbtq-pride-event-in-istanbul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=1557","title":{"rendered":"Turkey police detain dozens at LGBTQ+ Pride event in Istanbul"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--banner-top o-ad-container--with-shimmer o-ad-container--with-background\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-type=\"sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-status=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring__wrapper\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content t-content--article\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__above-sidebar\">\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">Turkey police detain dozens at LGBTQ+ Pride event in Istanbul<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                        Turkish police on Sunday detained at least 50 people, including a journalist, during a LGBTQ+ Pride event in Istanbul that went ahead despite a ban by local authorities. Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but since\u00a02015, the annual Pride march has been almost systematically banned and suppressed.                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__with-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"t-content__beside-sidebar\" data-article-content>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-06-28T19:43:23+00:00\">28\/06\/2026 &#8211; 21:43<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-reading-time\">\n    <span class=\"a-reading-time__icon\" title=\"Reading time\"><\/p>\n<p>    <\/span><br \/>\n    2 min    <span class=\"u-sr-only\">Reading time<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                            <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/france-24\/\" title=\"FRANCE 24\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                FRANCE 24<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__main-media\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/94f27f66-7327-11f1-89f6-005056bf30b7\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/AP26172500585673.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/94f27f66-7327-11f1-89f6-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/p:16x9\/AP26172500585673.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/94f27f66-7327-11f1-89f6-005056bf30b7\/w:720\/p:16x9\/AP26172500585673.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/94f27f66-7327-11f1-89f6-005056bf30b7\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/AP26172500585673.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"People run from the police during a march in support of transgender people and their rights during the LGBTQ Pride week, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, June 21, 2026. The placard reads in colloquial Turkish: &quot;What's forbidden. Come on!&quot;.\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                People run from the police during a march in support of transgender people and their rights during the LGBTQ Pride week, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, June 21, 2026. The placard reads in colloquial Turkish: &#8220;What&#8217;s forbidden. Come on!&#8221;.        \u00a9 Dilara Acikgoz, AP    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<p>Turkish <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/police\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">police<\/a> on Sunday detained at least 50 people, including a journalist, during a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/gay-pride\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Gay Pride<\/a> event in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/istanbul\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Istanbul<\/a> that went ahead despite a ban by local authorities and the lockdown of the city&#8217;s main gathering point, organisers said.<\/p>\n<p>Police stepped up security around Istanbul&#8217;s iconic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/taksim-square\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Taksim Square<\/a>, erecting iron barriers, while local officials banned demonstrations in key <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/rallying\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">rallying<\/a> areas, including the Asian-side district of Kadikoy. The governor&#8217;s office also restricted subway transport in several central locations.<\/p>\n<p>The Turkish <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/journalism\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Journalists<\/a>&#8216; Union said one of those detained was Muberra Unsal, who holds a valid press card.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/world-cup-pride-match-fifa-refuses-to-ban-rainbow-flags-despite-iran-egypt-objections\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">World Cup &#8216;Pride Match&#8217;: FIFA refuses to ban rainbow flags despite Iran, Egypt objections<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Journalists covering the Istanbul Pride March faced unlawful interference again this year. Despite repeatedly identifying herself as a journalist, Unsal was also taken into custody,&#8221; the union said on X.<\/p>\n<p>LGBTQ+ protesters, who gathered in several neighbourhoods across the city, vowed to continue their demonstrations.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;My love, today isn&#8217;t over yet. In fact, we&#8217;re just getting started. We&#8217;re not giving up. We&#8217;ll keep taking to the streets from every corner we&#8217;re in,&#8221; the protesters chanted.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Istanbul Bar Association unfurled a large banner from its building on Istiklal Avenue reading: &#8220;LGBT is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/human-rights\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">human rights<\/a>&#8220;.<\/p>\n<p>Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but the LGBT community is frequently targeted by President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/recep-tayyip-erdogan\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Recep Tayyip Erdogan<\/a>, who has blamed it for a declining birth rate.<\/p>\n<p>Since 2015, the annual Pride march has been almost systematically banned and suppressed.<\/p>\n<p>Separately, Turkish authorities on Saturday ordered an Istanbul gay bar to close over unspecified violations following protests by Islamist groups against its owner.<\/p>\n<p>The closure came after Islamist groups launched a campaign on social <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/media\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">media<\/a> against a planned cruise ship tour aimed at LGBTQ+ travellers. They claimed the Turkish leg of the programme was being organised by Mustafa Dogan Yilmaz, the bar&#8217;s owner.<\/p>\n<p>The ship had been scheduled to dock in Istanbul on July 8.<\/p>\n<p>Pro-government daily Yeni Safak reported that the cruise operator had decided to cancel its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/istanbul\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Istanbul<\/a> stop.<\/p>\n<p><em>(FRANCE 24 with AFP)\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"o-sidebar__aside\">\n<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--box o-ad-container--with-shimmer\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__tags t-content__below-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Keywords for this article<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/gay-pride\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Gay Pride\">    Gay Pride<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/istanbul\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Istanbul\">    Istanbul<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/turkey\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Turkey\">    Turkey<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/recep-tayyip-erdogan\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Recep Tayyip Erdogan\">    Recep Tayyip Erdogan<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/police\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"police\">    police<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/lgbt-rights-3\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"LGBT rights\">    LGBT rights<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertising Turkey police detain dozens at LGBTQ+ Pride event in Istanbul Middle East Turkish police&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1558,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1557"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1557\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}