Turkey police detain over 50 participants in Istanbul Pride march

On 28 June 2026, Turkish police arrested at least 50 people who took part in a Pride march in Istanbul despite a ban that has been in place since 2015. Officers sealed off Taksim Square with iron barriers, limited metro service and increased security, but demonstrators gathered in other neighbourhoods and chanted, “My love, today isn’t over yet. In fact, we’re just getting started.” Among those detained was journalist Müberra Ünsal, who was taken into custody despite showing a valid press card.

The Pride event, which began in 2003 and once attracted over 100,000 participants, was legal until the governor revoked its permit in 2015 citing “security” concerns. Since then, annual demonstrations have faced police interference, water‑cannon use and arrests. Homosexuality is legal in Turkey, but the country ranks near the bottom of Europe for LGBTQ+ protections, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan labeling LGBTQ+ people a “major threat to the family.”