Activists have strongly condemned the ban on Sunday's annual Pride parade in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul.
"You cannot silence our voices through repression, nor our slogans through bans," the organizers of this year's Pride march, which advocates for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people, said in a statement.
Authorities had earlier banned the parade planned for Sunday and sealed off the city centre around the iconic İstiklal shopping street. Public transport services in the area were also restricted.
The Istanbul Pride parade has been banned since 2015, with authorities consistently citing security concerns as the justification for the prohibition.
Despite the ban, demonstrators attempted to gather on the Asian side of the city. Istanbul, which straddles both Europe and Asia, lies on two continents.
Footage shared online showed groups walking through the streets while whistling before they were quickly stopped by plainclothes police officers. According to media reports, several people were arrested.
The organizers accused the government of targeting the LGBTQ community instead of taking effective action against crimes such as femicide and rape.
They vowed not to be intimidated by what they described as bans and policies driven by hatred.
Government officials, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, have repeatedly made openly anti-LGBTQ remarks.
In recent weeks, pressure on the community has intensified, with numerous X accounts advocating for LGBTQ rights being suspended.
On Friday, queer journalist Yıldız Tar was arrested. On Saturday, authorities ordered the closure of a gay bar in Istanbul's Beyoğlu nightlife district, according to the state news agency Anadolu. Officials said the venue had violated legal regulations.
