Turkish police prevent Ankara pride march, detain 36

Turkish police broke up dozens of protesters trying to gather for an LGBTQ+ Pride march in Ankara, capital of Turkey, and detained 36 people after authorities banned such marches across the country for security reasons.

Police in the morning blockaded Kugulu Park, the gathering spot for the parade, to prevent it from the start, but when the marchers refused to disperse, intervened heavily using pepper spray and tear gas. 

A Reuters video showed protesters rear-handcuffed and dragged to police buses.

Turkish police detained at least 36 people to halt an LGBTQ+ Pride march in the capital Ankara, using teargas and pepper spray before handcuffing them and putting them in buses https://t.co/fpxD82BXuf pic.twitter.com/1fE4vTLlCW

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 6, 2022

Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Emel Vural also suffered injuries, after she was targeted with pepper spray at close range, Yeni Yaşam reported.

Last week in Istanbul, police dispersed a larger annual Pride march and detained more than 300 people.