İzmir Pride

İzmir Pride is a gay pride march and LGBT demonstration held annually in İzmir, Turkey since 2013. It is one of the largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ events in Turkey.

History

The first İzmir Pride was held on June 30, 2013, at Alsancak Ferry Port, where LGBT rights activists gathered and marched along Cyprus Martyrs Street, carrying posters with slogans such as "We are soldiers of Zeki Müren" and "We are soldiers of Freddie Mercury". The event was supported by CHP Izmir MPvekili Mustafa Moroğlu.

In subsequent years, the march continued to take place, with the second walk held on June 14, 2014, from the front of Alsancak Gar. In 2015, the third İzmir Pride started from the Leman Culture Center and was supported by the Konak Municipality, featuring a beach concert.

However, in 2019, the İzmir Governorship banned Honor Week events, including the İzmir Pride march. The Izmir Bar Association challenged this decision in court, resulting in a ruling that allowed the seventh İzmir Pride to take place on June 22.

Notable Events

Despite the ban, the police attempted to disrupt the event in 2019. However, the march continued, and subsequent years have seen the event grow in size and popularity.

See Also

* LGBT rights in Turkey
* Gay pride parades in Turkey