Istanbul Pride march to go on despite governor’s ban

Activists for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex rights say they will march for Pride in Istanbul, despite a ban by the governor’s office.

Organizers of the 2017 Istanbul LGBTI Pride say the gathering would begin at 5 p.m. in central Taksim Square, using a Turkish hashtag for “we march.”

The Istanbul governor’s office yesterday banned the event — for the third year in a row — citing safety and public order fears. The statement also said the governor’s office had not received a valid parade application — a claim rejected by organizers.

For more than a decade, Turkish authorities allowed Pride marches to take place. Up to 100,000 people attended Istanbul Pride in 2014 but Turkish police dispersed Pride crowds in 2015 and 2016 using riot-control methods.

— AP