Police intervention against Eskişehir Pride March: 30 people detained

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Police intervened against the first Pride March to be held in Turkey's Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir yesterday (June 30).

While the march was to begin in front of the Adalar Migros market at 6.30 pm, police intervened and detained 25 people who joined the march.

Before the Eskişehir Pride March started, at around 5 pm, police took five more people into custody on the grounds that they were carrying rainbow symbols representing the LGBTI+ community.

As reported by Kaos GL LGBTI+ association, the detained people, most of whom were Kızıl Okyanus (Red Ocean) LGBTI+ activists, were taken to the Security Directorate following their medical check.

CLICK - First Pride March in Eskişehir: 'We want the whole city'

Speaking to bianet about the 1st Eskişehir Pride March, Ecmel from the Pride Eskişehir Working Group said that the LGBTI+s encounter big problems in Eskişehir, briefly underlining the following points:

"As long as we exist, our legitimate struggle will continue.

"We are also troubled with both the politicians who disregard us and the police violence that gets its strength from the state power.

"We - as the Pride Eskişehir group - came together to make our voices heard on the streets and to enable lubunyas to come together, thereby disturbing the long-standing silence about the LGBTIQA+ movement in Eskişehir."

CLICK - 19th İstanbul Pride March: Police attack in Taksim

On June 26, the police attacked the ones who joined the 19th İstanbul Pride March in Taksim, taking 47 people into custody. (KÖ/SD)