Tear Gas and Rubber Bullets Disrupt Istanbul Gay Pride Parade

Turkish police officers disrupted this year’s Istanbul gay pride march, violently dispersing peaceful crowds as they gathered at the city’s iconic Taksim Square. Istanbul’s annual march has been taking place in the city for over a decade, and the numbers of those attending have increased throughout the years. The police actions on Sunday were an apparent response to the sudden banning of the event by Istanbul governor’s office, which reportedly decided to outlaw the march as it coincided with the holy month of Ramadan. Undeterred, crowds began congregating on nearby streets, only to be fired upon with tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons by the police. Marchers told VICE News how they were attacked and injured by the heavy-handed police actions. Despite this, pride marchers continued to gather on the streets until the early hours of Monday morning. Read “Turkish Police Use Water Cannons, Rubber Bullets, and Tear Gas on Gay Pride Parade“ -