Turkish Police Chase, Detain Protesters at Istanbul's Trans Pride Parade | VOA News

Turkish police chase and detain activists at Istanbul's Trans Pride Parade, June 18, 2023.

Police sealed off Istanbul's city center to block participants of the Trans Pride Parade who had come to march against the discrimination of transgender people, despite officials banning Trans Pride festivities on Sunday.

Marchers gathered in Harbiye, a neighborhood in Istanbul, after police took intensive security measures in and around Taksim Square, blocking it from those planning to attend a Pride event.

Turkish officials have banned such events in previous years. The Turkish government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly expressed strong anti-LGBTQ sentiments. A VOA Turkish Istanbul stringer filmed while police was detaining some of the activists. (VOA) #turkey #lgbtq #news #voanews