Governor bans Izmir Pride

After the ban on the Ankara March against Homophobia and Transphobia, the Izmir Governorate has banned Izmir Pride. The reasoning for the ban includes the statement “propaganda for terrorist organization”. The Rainbow Solidarity Network organizing the march will make a statement.  

Source: Kaos GL, “İzmir Onur Yürüyüşü’ne de Valilik Yasağı”, 3 June 2016, http://kaosgl.org/sayfa.php?id=21797


The Izmir Governorate banned the Izmir Pride March scheduled for tomorrow (4 June) on the basis that it “received intelligence that there may be propaganda for terrorist organization”. The march, organized by the Rainbow Solidarity Network consisting of LGBTI human rights organizations and supported by the Konak City Council was banned for the following reason:

“There have been certain tips that some persons or groups working for terror organizations will infiltrate the crowd during the demonstration; will conduct provocative acts to disturb the peace and quiet of society by provoking the crowd; will chant slogans praising illegal terror organizations during the demonstration; will open pieces of cloth that are the so-called flags of illegal organizations; these persons or groups infiltrating the crowd will attack security forces stationed there as well as public institutions, public and private vehicles with rocks, bats, Molotof cocktails, and improvised explosive devices; and will commit terror crimes. These intelligence tips have been partially confirmed”.

What happened in Ankara?

The Ankara Governorate banned Kaos GL’s March Against Homophobia and Transphobia scheduled for 22 May to celebrate IDAHOT. The Governorate put forth “certain social sensitivities” as the grounds for not finding the march “suitable” and refused to ensure the security of the march. It also lifted the decision of stay of execution by objecting to the Regional Administrative Court.

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