Turkish police blocked hundreds of people from gathering for Istanbul's annual Pride parade on Sunday and detained dozens after local authorities banned the march from going ahead again this year.
Thousands of people used to attend Pride marches on Istanbul's main Istiklal Avenue but in recent years the government led by President Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted AK Party has toughened its stance on LGBTQ+ freedom.
Local authorities in the Beyoglu district banned all Pride Week events between June 20-26, saying they could lead to public unrest due to society's sensitivities.A Police officer throws a rainbow flag in a dustbin as activists try to march in a pride parade, which was banned by local authorities, in central Istanbul, Turkey June 26, 2022.
Last year Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu labeled some university students "LGBT deviants", while Erdogan praised his party's youth wing for not being "LGBT youth".