Turkish police detained several people and dispersed the crowd during the city's annual gay and transgender pride march on Sunday (June 25).
Police with riot shields and helmets sealed off entrances to Istiklal Street, where organizers had planned to hold the march before authorities announced the ban on Saturday. The Istanbul governor's office said it decided to prevent the demonstration out of concern for the security of marchers, tourists and residents.
Small groups of people gathered in sidestreets waving rainbow flags, symbols of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse one group, witnesses said, and detained several people. Footage posted on the internet also appeared to show them firing tear gas at one location.
Elsewhere, large crowds turned out for Pride marches on Sunday in New York City and San Francisco, the two US places most associated with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights movement, with the East Coast city bringing a more political flavor to the event sparked by events there almost 50 years ago.
REUTERS
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