22/02/2022 | Writer: Yunus Emre Demir
İstanbul Pride March has been banned since 2015. Despite police attacks and custodies, LGBTI+s are filling Taksim out every year. We have compiled the experiences at Pride Marches from 2015 until now.
İstanbul Pride March, which has been going on in a peaceful way since the first day, and in which almost 100 thousand people met together in 2014 after Gezi protests, has been banned since 2015.
The first ban in 2015 was reported to the organizer committee just a few hours before the march. The police attack began at 16.30 pm on the day of the march.
Despite all the attacks, thousands of people, who attended to march, read the press statement at 19.40 by walking to Tünel. Although no one had been taken into custody, except short-term retentions, lots of people were injured.
Police also blocked the press in doing their duty. They attacked Yıldız Tar, editor of KaosGL.org and took Çiçek Tahaoğlu, editor of Bianet, and Tar into custody. Two journalists were released from police vehicle without official detention.
Several members of parliaments were also attended to the march. MPs from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and the Republicans People’s Party (CHP) formed a brigade by combining their hands against the police barricade. The photos of the moment, in which CHP MP Mahmut Tanal was trying to prevent the attack by getting above the water cannon vehicle, left its mark on the march
Parliamentarians from abroad were also taken into custody
The march was also banned in 2016. İstanbul Pride Week Committee was on guard against a potential ban this time, due to the effect of the year before.
Pride Week Committee made a call for nonviolent “dispersal” by keeping the tradition of the marches. Committee invited everyone to spread around the streets in Taksim and read the statement written by them. A brutal response came from the police against this call. 19 people were taken into custody during the police attacks in various parts of Taksim.
T. Reintke, member of European Parliament, and V. Beck, German MP, were released from the police vehicle, having taken into custody for a short time.
Files were suited against all people taken into custody. All the 19 LGBTI+ activists, who were prosecuted, took acquittal.
The pretext of governorship was Alperen Hearths in 2017
Threatening of Alperen Hearths and some Islamist groups accompanied the state violence when it came to 2017 Pride March. These fascist reactions took part in the ban verdict of İstanbul governorship as “it is realized that this call drew reactions from various sections of the society at social media platforms.” Pride Week Committee completed their statement in the march day with the expression “Kudurun ayol” (Well, go mad!)
While 20 fascists, who were there to attack, were taken into custody, 24 LGBTI+ right defenders also taken into custody on the march day. Several people were injured due to the police attack.
All the 25 LGBTI+ right defenders, who were taken into custody, took acquittal. LGBTI+ right defender Aslı Yasemin also won the lawsuit against the police due to mistreatment.
Ankara bans clouded the march in 2018
The preparations for 2018 İstanbul Pride March were made with the uneasiness of the ban against all activities of LGBTI+s in Ankara, introduced in November 2017. İstanbul Governorship also banned the march in consequence of “potential problems that may occur”. At least six people were taken into custody and files were suited against them. While 4 of 6 were acquitted, 2 of them were punished. One of them punished due to resisting against public official and the other was punished due to endangering traffic safety.
Not only Taksim, all parts of İstanbul is forbidden
İstanbul Pride Week committee applied officially for the first time in 2019 unlike the years before. Pride Week Committee applied to hold the march in Bakırköy baraza in 2019 considering the “warning” in the ban ruling given by İstanbul Governorship, that Taksim do not take part in the places where public meetings could be held.
Following the ban ruling for the march in Bakırköy, given by İstanbul Governorship, Pride Committee made a call for Taksim once again. The police also attacked the march in 2019 by giving a ruling ban due to familiar reasons. At least 5 people were taken into custody in 2019, however no files were suited against them, different from the other years.
Pride Week Committee and Social Policies, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD) objected to ban ruling for Bakırköy. Although violation of right was not dissolved because the march was not able to be held, the ban was removed by the court.
Pandemic break in 2020
Covid-19, which has been affecting the whole world since the beginning of 2020, also brought the pride marches to a standstill in Turkey, as well as all over the world. Although İstanbul Pride Week Committee moved the march online, they did not neglect to leave small surprises at different points in Beyoğlu.
Although the march was not held in 2020, the police did not refrain from harassing LGBTI+s. An LGBTI+ group, who were enjoying and listening to music in Mis Street on the night of the march, was squashed into the place, due to closure of the street by the police. The police scattered the group around by threating them taking into custody.
Earliest attack, longest march: 46 custodies
İstanbul Pride March in 2021 was also banned “two times” just like 2019. Both the application made by Committee was rejected and as a result of the call for Taksim following the ban, İstanbul governorship banned the march once again.
Unlike other years, the police began to detain people, who were sitting in the bars of Mis Street, from 15.30 pm without waiting for the starting time. LGBTI+ activists kept the march up all over Taksim, despite the raw deal of the police. The attacks, which were started at 15.30 pm, went on until 22.00 at night. 46 people were taken into custody during the attacks. Six files were suited separately against totally 40 people, including the one who was detained in the picnic in Maçka Park which was also banned in the same year. 8 of 40 people have already acquitted.
The police attack to İstanbul Pride Marcs in 2021 was much more violent than in previous years. The police who detained journalist Bülent Kılıç by pressing their knees his throat, got reaction. And the video shared by Liona Georgi was watched and shared all over the world.
Pride Week is 30 years old this year!
Pride March will be held for the 20th time in 2022 and Pride Week will be celebrated for 30th time. İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride week Committee started to get ready with the open call meetings. You may participate in the meetings by following the calls from the social media of the Committee.
Translation: Selma Koçak
Tags: human rights
