Turkish authorities have launched a sweeping crackdown on the country's LGBTQ+ community, conducting raids on gay bars, nightclubs, association offices, and the homes of activists across several major cities. As part of an operation titled "My Family is Safe," police have detained at least 162 people.
The government stated that these operations are aimed at boosting traditional family values and are based on allegations of prostitution and obscene content. Alongside the raids, a court ordered the blocking of dozens of LGBTQ+-linked websites and social media accounts. In Istanbul, 26 people were detained and the offices of six associations were searched, while a court in the western province of Izmir ordered the detention of 16 people pending trial.
Following the weekend crackdown, pro-LGBTQ demonstrators protested in Izmir on Monday, where police responded by firing tear gas. These actions occur as the Turkish government has been accused of increasingly targeting the LGBTQ+ community in recent years.