Turkish police attack Eskişehir's first planned Pride march, detain 20

Just a few days after the brutal interventions in Istanbul and Ankara, Turkish police this time attacked a planned Pride march in the western province of Eskişehir, detaining 20 LGBTI+ rights activists.

Thursday July 01 2021 12:40 am

Photo courtesy of daily Evrensel.

Özge Zaim / DUVAR

Turkish police on June 30 attacked crowds that gathered to participate in a planned Pride march in the western province of Eskişehir.

The event would have marked the first Pride march in the province, but it faced brutal police intervention, as had been the case in Istanbul and Ankara earlier this week.

The march was planned to start at 6 p.m. local time in front of the Adalar Migros supermarket but police officers were at the scene hours before the scheduled meeting time, conducting identity checks.

Organizers were not allowed to hold a press meeting and conduct the parade, with police detaining 20 people on the grounds of “violating the ban on the march.”

Turkish authorities have repeatedly banned Pride events in recent years, citing security concerns and public order.

On June 26, police in riot gear were among those intervening in central Istanbul, including pushing and dragging some people who had gathered for the Pride parade.

Just three days later on June 29, police this time attacked a smaller Pride march in the capital Ankara, with officers brutally dispersing those waving rainbow flags, carrying banners and singing.