ISTANBUL — An anti-LGBTQ group marched Sunday in Istanbul, demanding that LGBTQ associations be shuttered and their actions banned, within the largest demonstration of its sort in Turkey.
A number of thousand folks joined the demonstration dubbed “The Massive Household Gathering.” Kursat Mican, a speaker for the organizers, stated that they had gathered greater than 150,000 signatures to demand a brand new legislation from Turkey’s parliament that will ban what they referred to as LGBTQ propaganda, which they are saying pervades Netflix, social media, arts and sports activities.
Hatice Muge, who works as a nanny, got here to the gathering from Bursa province.
“Persons are right here regardless of the rain for his or her youngsters, for future generations,” she stated, urging the Turkish authorities to take motion. “They need to save the household, they need to save the youngsters from this filth.”
The group held banners that learn: “Defending the household is a nationwide safety difficulty.”
LGBTQ parades haven’t been allowed in Turkey since 2015.
Forward of Sunday’s demonstration, the organizers circulated a video utilizing pictures from previous LGBTQ Pleasure marches in Turkey. The video was included within the public service announcement checklist of Turkey’s media watchdog.
The video and the demonstration prompted an outcry from LGBTQ associations and different rights teams. The organizers of Istanbul Pleasure referred to as on the governor’s workplace to ban the occasion and authorities to take down the video, arguing each had been hateful.
ILGA Europe, which works for LGBTQ equality, tweeted it was extraordinarily involved concerning the dangers of violence.
“The Turkish state must uphold its constitutional obligation to guard all its residents towards hate and violence,” it stated.
Amnesty Worldwide’s Turkey workplace stated public service bulletins itemizing the occasion violated Turkey’s equality and non-discrimination ideas.
Prime Turkish officers have referred to as LGBTQ folks “perverts” who goal to harm conventional household values.
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