İstanbul pride march held in Kadıköy despite obstacles
The 24th İstanbul Pride March was held in the Kadıköy district yesterday despite official bans and transportation restrictions.
At least 65 people including journalists were detained during the incidents as police dispersed groups emerging from various streets. All detainees were released at night after testifying to the police.
The march began at around 12 pm local time in Caferağa neighborhood. MPs Özgül Saki of the pro-Kurdish People's Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party and Sera Kadıgil of the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) also joined the crowd.
Trans activists pop up in Kadıköy after decoy parade draws police to Taksim
'We are here with our courage'
After police surrounded the group, several other groups emerged from various streets and continued the demonstrations throughout the day despite crackdowns. They unfurled banners and chanted "Where are you, my love? - I'm here my love."
🏳️🌈 24. İstanbul Onur Yürüyüşü | Caferağa Keresteci Aziz Sokak'ta "Neredesin aşkım" sloganı atarak pankart açmak isteyen LGBTİ+'lar ile eylemi takip eden gazeteciler gözaltına alındı.
— bianet (@bianet_org) June 28, 2026
📹 Video: Müberra Ünsal pic.twitter.com/hOzwDIRTPz
"Our friends were detained with torture during the 24th LGBTI+ Pride March we held today," demonstrators said in a statement during the march:
"But we are on the streets once again today. We are here with our courage. We are here to carry on the laughter and the words of our detained friends. We came out openly, we speak openly. We say it once again: We are not giving up on our struggle."
İstanbul's LGBTI+ activists hold Pride March in unexpected location to circumvent bans
The İstanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week Committee also released a statement on social media during the incidents:
"We have always said it, and we will continue to say it; we are here, we resist both the detentions and your hate on the streets that belong to us!"
"My love, today is not over yet, in fact, we are just getting started! We are not dispersing! We continue to be on the street from every area we are in!"
🏳️🌈 24. İstanbul Onur Yürüyüşü | Kadıköy Yaverbey Sokak’ta bir araya gelen feministler gözaltına alındı
— bianet (@bianet_org) June 28, 2026
🗣️ "Bize diyorlar ki 'Kıyafetiniz sakıncalı, şüphelendik'. Neden şüphelendiklerini bilmiyoruz. Biz de bu sokaklarda yaşayan insanlarız. Bir pazar günü burada 'şüphelendik'… pic.twitter.com/2um7bgXbX1
Prior to the march, both Kadıköy and Beyoğlu district governor's offices banned all events during the weekend.
DİSK Press Workers (Basın-İş) union and the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) condemned the detentions of media workers in separate statements, calling for their immediate release.
🏳️🌈 24. İstanbul Onur Yürüyüşü | Kadıköy Şair Latifi Sokak'ta en az beş kişi kötü muameleye maruz bırakılarak gözaltına alındı. pic.twitter.com/FdeES4Pq0G
— bianet (@bianet_org) June 28, 2026
LGBTI+ pride marches have been banned in Turkey for the past decade. Activists continue to hold the events, employing various methods to evade police crackdowns.
This year, an extensive wave of online censorship also targeted the LGBTI+ community during Pride month. Authorities banned the social media accounts of queer rights groups, media outlets, and individual activists.
Turkey bans access to LGBTI+ groups' social media accounts
(VK)