Turkish riot police break up Pride parade in Istanbul

Law enforcers use rubber bullets to scatter thousands of demonstrators taking part in march during Ramadan

By ToI Staff and AFP 28 June 2015, 6:52 pm

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Turkish riot police use water cannon on a gay rights demonstrator during a Gay Pride parade, Istanbul, Turkey, June 28, 2015. (Twitter/David Lepeska)

Turkish riot police dispersed a Gay Pride event on Sunday using tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets.

According to Hurriyet Daily News, the 13th Istanbul LGBTi Pride Parade was initially approved to take place but then unexpectedly banned by the Istanbul Governor’s Office, which cited the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan as the reason for the cancellation.

Thousands of people had gathered at the event in Istanbul’s Istiklal Street and began to chant slogans denouncing the “fascism” of the regime under the Islamic-conservative President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after which police moved in.

There were no initial reports of injuries or arrests during the clashes.

US pop artist Lady Gaga posted a message on her Twitter account, apparently directed at the Governor of Istanbul, Huseyin Avni Mutlu, calling on him to end the violence and let the march continue.

“Governor! Set an example for people to celebrate both Ramadan and Pride in PEACE, instead of dividing with violence!” she wrote.

Governor! Set an example for people to celebrate both Ramadan and Pride in PEACE, instead of dividing with violence! #OnurYuerueyuesue

— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) June 28, 2015

The 2014 Gay Pride event in Istanbul, which also fell during Ramadan, was held without incident.

Istanbul #Pride2015 marcher waving rainbow flag is blasted off his feet by police water cannon pic.twitter.com/uiPlcZalu8

— David Lepeska (@dlepeska) June 28, 2015

Images posted to social media websites showed demonstrators facing off against police who used riot-dispersal methods against the crowds.

https://twitter.com/evintv/status/615156212896825344

The pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), which became the fourth-largest party in the parliament with 13% of the vote, posted a message to its Twitter feed: “We can overcome prejudices, hatred and violence only with a culture of equal and free life.”

We can overcome prejudices, hatred and violence only with a culture of equal and free life. pic.twitter.com/JuXTToxNz2

— DEM Party English (@DemPartyEnglish) June 28, 2015

Earlier this month, Erdogan’s ruling AKP Justice and Development Party failed to win an absolute majority in elections and was forced to rely on forming a coalition.