Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The New Arab reports:
Turkish police violently attacked students during a LGBT Pride march at Ankara’s Middle East Technical University (METU) on Friday, according to reports.
Multiple videos have surfaced on Twitter showing dozens of police armed with shields and batons entering the university and detaining some of the students. Some tweets said that the police also used tear gas.
In 2019, students who similarly organised a peaceful Pride march at METU were also met with excessive force, with police reportedly using tear gas, pepper spray and plastic bullets Eighteen students and academics were arrested, and only released in October 2021.
Via press release from Amnesty International:
Reacting to the news that police violently broke up a student-organised Pride march at the Middle East Technical University (METU) campus in Ankara, Türkiye’s capital, arresting some students after dragging them on the ground, Nils Muižnieks, Amnesty International’s Europe Director said:
“Scenes of peaceful Pride marchers on the METU campus being confronted with police using unnecessary and excessive force, including pepper balls, are deeply disturbing, particularly as this is a repeat of the brutality we saw here three years ago.
“It is a dark day when university authorities notify the police to break up students who are simply marching peacefully for their rights to dignity and equality. All those detained by police solely for exercising their right to peaceful assembly must be immediately and unconditionally released.”
According to the International Gay & Lesbian Association, Turkey is currently ranked 48th out of 49 European countries on LGBTQ rights, just ahead of Azerbaijan.
It’s easy to take the right to celebrate #Pride for granted.
Many around the world can not do so.
Just yesterday Turkish Police, with riot gear and tear gas, interrupted a student Pride event, detaining marchers.#METUPride
H/t @aforgutu @StefSimanowitz.pic.twitter.com/rtTzqLOwhr— Matthew Hodson (@Matthew_Hodson) June 11, 2022
We have received information from our lawyers that there are about 40 detentions, the number has not been clarified yet.
Police violence continues …#OnuncuODTÜOnurYürüyüşü— ÜniKuir (@unikuir) June 10, 2022
“Scenes of peaceful Pride marchers on the METU campus being confronted with police using unnecessary and excessive force, including pepper balls, are deeply disturbing,” said Nils Muižnieks, @amnesty‘s Europe Director.https://t.co/bNGNYH4DNl
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) June 11, 2022
A large number of anti-riot police and armoured water cannons were present on campushttps://t.co/DaPjAvF2sj
— Ahval (@ahval_en) June 11, 2022
Turkish police on June 10 attacked an LGBTI pride march organized at the ODTÜ campus, battering and detaining several of the students. #Turkey https://t.co/35tuUS8PfS pic.twitter.com/GB7Sdp5O4P
— Duvar English (@DuvarEnglish) June 11, 2022