Turkey bans Istanbul gay pride due to 'security fears'

[GennGreymane]

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/0...142611973.html

Authorities in the Turkish city of Istanbul have banned an annual gay pride march planned for later this month, citing security and public order fears.

The ban, which was angrily denounced by the Istanbul pride organisers, came after ultra-nationalist and conservative groups said they would not allow "degenerates" to hold such events on Turkish soil.

The Istanbul governor's office said in a statement on Friday that the June 26 march had been banned out of concern for public order and safeguarding security.

The order means anyone taking part in the parade in defiance of the authorities risks facing intervention by the security forces.

In recent days, hardline groups had vowed to do "what is necessary" to stop Istanbul's gay pride march.

"Dear state officials, do not make us deal with these. Either you do what is needed or we will do it," Kursat Mican, Istanbul's head of Alperen Hearths, the youth group loyal to the far-nationalist Great Union Party, told reporters.

Until 2015, the gay pride march had been held on 12 occasions largely without incident, growing into the largest such event in a Muslim country with thousands taking part in a celebration of diversity.

Last year, however, the parade was banned by the governorship hours before the event. Soon after, it was shut down through police intervention for the first time in its 13-year history.

'Flagrant violation'

The organisers of the march, in a statement on their Facebook page, denounced Friday's ban as a "flagrant violation of the constitution and the law".

They said that the event had until 2015 been held on the last Sunday of June every year since 2003 "to raise our voices against the violations experienced throughout the year and express our demands for equality, freedom and legal status"

The march's organisers also accused the governor's office of failing in its duty to protect the rights of citizens to exercise their rights and vowed to launch legal proceedings.

Activists are planning a week of events from this weekend culminating in a gay pride march on June 26 that traditionally follows Istanbul's famed shopping street Istiklal Caddesi and finishes in Taksim Square.

However, Turkey has been hit by a string of attacks this year, including a deadly suicide bombing on Istiklal itself that killed three Israelis and an Iranian and was blamed on armed groups.

Like last year, the march is also scheduled to take place during the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Homosexuality has been legal in Turkey throughout the period of the modern republic and was also legalised in the Ottoman Empire from the mid-19th century.

But gays in Turkey regularly complain of harassment and abuse in a largely conservative Muslim society where open displays of same sex love are strongly frowned upon.

[May90]

Funny that Turkey is seriously considered for EU membership in the future, with such trends happening there.

[Powerogue]

Honestly whose idea was it to put Pride Month the same month as Ramadan? This was never going to end well.

[darkwarrior42]

Honestly whose idea was it to put Pride Month the same month as Ramadan? This was never going to end well.

Ramadan is a part of a Lunar calendar, so its dates change every year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan_(calendar_month)

Pride Month is set in June, to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots

https://www.loc.gov/lgbt/about.html

That means sometimes they're going to overlap. There will be partial overlap the next three years, but then not again for a very long time.

[Vash The Stampede]

You know they afraid of the buttsex.

[Kuntantee]

Funny that Turkey is seriously considered for EU membership in the future, with such trends happening there.

Turkey will not be considered for EU membership as long as she meets the criteria set forth by EU. This thread reminded me "no one cares Turkey" post of yours. To me, foreign presses are spending too much time thinking about Turkey.

[Deleted]

Always wondering why there's no 'straight parades' going on. It's just me, that I don't feel the need to show the world I prefer women?

My idea is that gays should go the same way. Just don't waste my time using streets for your exhibitionism and live like you feel is right for you. As long as you don't evade my space and don't waste my time with all that "omg they don't like us [cry]" stuff, I'm OK with you.

Like any other thing in the world, there will be people liking you and people that hate you. It's how the world works. Move on.

[Machismo]

Always wondering why there's no 'straight parades' going on. It's just me, that I don't feel the need to show the world I prefer women?

My idea is that gays should go the same way. Just don't waste my time using streets for your exhibitionism and live like you feel is right for you. As long as you don't evade my space and don't waste my time with all that "omg they don't like us [cry]" stuff, I'm OK with you.

Like any other thing in the world, there will be people liking you and people that hate you. It's how the world works. Move on.

COnsidering that gay people are oppressed in Turkey, and they are still fighting for freedom and equality, I'd say the marches are completely justified.

[monkmastaeq]

meh pride festivals are a prejudiced event anyways

[Sandraudiga]

Going to be a productive member of the EU soon.

[Deleted]

COnsidering that gay people are oppressed in Turkey, and they are still fighting for freedom and equality, I'd say the marches are completely justified.

Women were oppressed in Germany by immigrants not that long ago and from what I hear still are, no one gives a shit. Because it's not polite to say bad things about immigrants, gays, Jews, [add any minority to the list], bad things are commonly going under the rug in EU. For the 'good of us all'.

We have more important matters to take care of at home (EU I mean) that gay parades in Turkey, IMO.

[Deleted]

meh pride festivals are a prejudiced event anyways

Yes, it's not those Muslems who are prejudiced, it's the pride festivals

[Machismo]

Women were oppressed in Germany by immigrants not that long ago and from what I hear still are, no one gives a shit. Because it's not polite to say bad things about immigrants, gays, Jews, [add any minority to the list], bad things are commonly going under the rug in EU. For the 'good of us all'.

We have more important matters to take care of at home (EU I mean) that gay parades in Turkey, IMO.

I give a shit about all oppression, you should too. You seem to want to deflect from one, by talking about another. People who do that tend to be uncomfortable about things, it's a mirror of their true personality. Speaking about one form of oppression, or one problem, is not a defense to ignore another. You are being disingenuous, and intellectually dishonest.

[Pantelija]

I give a shit about all oppression, you should too. You seem to want to deflect from one, by talking about another. People who do that tend to be uncomfortable about things, it's a mirror of their true personality. Speaking about one form of oppression, or one problem, is not a defense to ignore another. You are being disingenuous, and intellectually dishonest.

It seems you are "intellectually void".

[Machismo]

It seems you are "intellectually void".

Why, because I can talk about two different forms of oppression at the same time? Or is it because I won't bring up one, so that I do not have to discuss the other?

[Acidbaron]

Funny that Turkey is seriously considered for EU membership in the future, with such trends happening there.

Wouldn't hold your breath on that, right now Turkey has some sort of stick behind the door with refugee crisis, which they are handling poorly.
Erdogan will have ruined Turkey's chances long before it will become a serious talking point, remember that all nations need to be in favor.


On topic, you know what they say about people who are homophobic, if gay people make you feel uncomfortable guess Erdogan is worried some of his administration might be coming out of the closet

[Themius]

Always wondering why there's no 'straight parades' going on. It's just me, that I don't feel the need to show the world I prefer women?

My idea is that gays should go the same way. Just don't waste my time using streets for your exhibitionism and live like you feel is right for you. As long as you don't evade my space and don't waste my time with all that "omg they don't like us [cry]" stuff, I'm OK with you.

Like any other thing in the world, there will be people liking you and people that hate you. It's how the world works. Move on.

If you "always wondered" why there's no straight parades than perhaps the issue is that you are incapable of understand such concepts at all.

I don't know what planet you live on but gays don't have equal rights in the majority of the world, this is why pride marches exist.

[GennGreymane]

Gay pride parades piss me off. It's like that's great you're happy with your sexuality and proud about it, but you don't have to block traffic for half the fucking day. Have a gay pride festival, that would actually be cool. You could invite famous gay speakers to your festivals that could give inspirational talks, you could have barbecues and invite pro gay or actual gay bands to play, you could have this thing last a few days, hell even a week(s). But nope, nothing cool, you'd rather just sit on floats and block traffic all damn day.

Here is why I hate this argument. It never comes up for any other parade. Once I point this out, I am told "Oh no, I hate all parades".

[Thunderball]

Here is why I hate this argument. It never comes up for any other parade. Once I point this out, I am told "Oh no, I hate all parades".

Maybe because unlike most other parades, this one is really hard to participate or relate to, if you're not gay. This stuff is really only about gay people: those who really are homophobic dont give a damn about those parades and normal people are just frustrated.

[Themius]

Maybe because unlike most other parades, this one is really hard to participate or relate to, if you're not gay. This stuff is really only about gay people: those who really are homophobic dont give a damn about those parades and normal people are just frustrated.

"Normal people are frustrated" what the fuck is that foolishness?

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Here is why I hate this argument. It never comes up for any other parade. Once I point this out, I am told "Oh no, I hate all parades".

There was the puerto rican day parade on Sunday, how ever can any one relate to anything rican culture it's all just for ricans celebrating rican stuff, blocking traffic all day!