The march has been banned by the governor of Istanbul since 2015, but hundreds of protesters with rainbow-colored flags gathered in the streets around Taksim Square.
About 400 arrests were made yesterday, Sunday, by the Istanbul police during the Pride March of the LOATKI + community, announced the organizers of the march and a non-governmental organization for the defense of rights, according to which all were released.
“Three hundred and seventy-three people were arrested. “Everything (…) was released on the morning of June 27th,” said Kaos GL, the Turkish rights advocacy group LOATKI +.
As every year since 2015, the march was banned by the governor of Istanbul, but hundreds of demonstrators with rainbow-colored flags gathered in the streets around Taksim Square, which was closed to the public.
Even before the rally began, special police forces raided cafes and streets in the nearby Jihangir district, arresting those present, according to a group of AFP reporters.
Some, including an AFP photographer, had been released shortly before 11pm local time, almost six hours after their arrival.
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