Turkish police violently break up LGBT Pride parade at Ankara university

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.

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

“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 International's Europe Director, “particularly as this is a repeat of the brutality we saw here three years ago.” 

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.

18 students and academics were arrested, and only released in October 2021. 

“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,” added Muižnieks.

We repeat: No one should be detained for exercising the right to peaceful assembly.

The police intervention into the 10th METU Pride must end, and students who are detained must be released. #OnuncuODTÜOnurYürüyüşü pic.twitter.com/VojXqeiuVS

— Amnesty Turkey (@aforgutu) June 10, 2022