TURKISH authorities detained over 50 people attempting to march for Istanbul Pride on Sunday as part of a decade-long crackdown on the event.

A heavy police presence in hot spots around the city prevented any significant gathering which forced the organisers to change the gathering location multiple times.

Yildiz Tar, editor in chief of the LGBT rights organisation and journal Kaos GL, posted to the X social media platform that 54 people were detained at Istanbul Pride, including six lawyers. 

As of Sunday evening, seven had been released and 47 were still in detention.

The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey announced that at least three journalists were among the detained.

“The palace regime will not be able to stay in power by demonizing the LGBT+ community,” said Kezban Konukcu, a Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party MP, who participated in the event.

Once boasting tens of thousands of participants, Istanbul Pride has been banned since 2015 by the Turkish government as the religious Justice and Development Party began playing up to the more right-wing elements of its support base.