Riot police in Istanbul have fired tear gas and rubber bullets into a group of around 150 people during Trans Pride event taking place in Taksim Square. Demonstrations have been banned in the square since 2013 when large anti-government protests occupied the space. Hundreds of riot police cordoned off the square to try and stop the Trans Pride rally after authorities banned LGBTI pride marches during the month of Ramadan, citing security concerns. The LGBTI pride parade, the biggest of the Muslim world, on 26 June has also been banned. CBC News reports that more than 300 policemen backed by water canons and wearing anti-riot gear were deployed in the area. “Football fans can rally in this country whenever they want,” says Ebru Kırancı, a spokeswoman for the Lambdaistanbul LGBTI Solidarity Association. “We were going to do a peaceful activity. [The] holy month of Ramadan is an excuse. If you are going to respect Ramadan, respect us too. The heterosexuals think it’s too much for us, only two hours in 365 days.” The organisers of Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week rejected the ban of the parades for the reason of security concerns, saying "the governorship prefers to limit people's rights and freedoms instead of taking measures to deal with the threats." At last year’s Istanbul Pride, Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd to forcibly disperse it. At least two people were detained.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 20th June 2016 - 8:20pm