The Alperen Ocakları, an offshoot of Turkish nationalist movement the Grey Wolves (Ülkü Ocakları), on Monday announced that they would not allow LGBTI members to hold a pride parade on June 25, CNNTürk reported.
“Even if the state permits it, we will not let them walk,” said Kürşat Mican, Istanbul head of Alperen Ocakları during a program on KRT TV.
“Wherever they walk, we will go there and block the street. They can come there,” added Mican, who stood trial for threats against LGBTI members ahead of the pride parade last year.
In 2016 the İstanbul Governor’s Office banned a pre-scheduled LGBTI pride parade to take place in Taksim on June 19 and 26 soon after an attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando, where a gunman killed 49 people and injured more than 50.
The governor’s office released a statement underlining that the parade had been cancelled due to reasons of safety.