Turkiye: LGBTQ activists plan Pride Parade in Istanbul June 30 amid heightened security measures

LGBTQ activists plan to stage a Pride Parade in central Istanbul on June 30, despite an official ban. Organizers are holding a Pride Week that started June 23; the march on June 30 will form the main event for participants. Local authorities have implemented increased security measures to restrict the Parade, including: preventing access to Taksim Square, closing Taksim Square metro station, and closing the funicular between Taksim and Kabatas pier. Organizers have responded by announcing alternative gathering points and march routes in central Istanbul and adjacent districts. As of June 27, these include Taksim Square, Kalamis, Besiktas, Yeldegirmeni, Sisli, and Moda. However, the schedule may change again in response to police deployments. In 2023, authorities arrested over 100 activists who defied an official ban on the Pride Parade: scuffles between militant activists and security forces are possible and will likely result in arrests if they occur.

Heightened security measures and related localized disruptions will likely persist in the area throughout the Pride Week. Although the events will be largely peaceful, scuffles between participants and police are possible. Any violence presents an incidental risk to bystanders.