The governor of Istanbul banned a gay pride parade scheduled for Sunday, citing concerns about the “security of citizens and tourists” and “public order” after an ultra-nationalist group threatened the march with violence. Deutsche Welle reports.
It will be the second year in a row that the city’s LBGT march, previously described as the largest in the Muslim world, has been blocked by city officials.
Last week, the ultra-nationalist Alperen Hearths group threatened to prevent the parade if the authorities didn’t stop it. In response to that threat officials canceled the march.
Parade organizers slammed the government’s decision saying it was effectively legitimizing threats posed by hate groups, and called on the governor to reverse its decision.
The governor’s emphasis on public safety and order distorted the image of a planned peaceful march, they said in an online statement headlined: “We are Marching, Get Used to It. We are Here, Not Going Away.”
Organizers said they planned to gather in the city center Sunday despite the ban, insisting they had a right to a “peaceful gathering.”
Amnesty International’s Turkey expert Andrew Gardner said the government was using the “same tired, empty excuse” to ban a demonstration. Instead, he said, the government should offer security for the event so that it can go ahead.