Thousands at Pride parade in Paris as police arrest marchers in Istanbul

Crowds at the annual Pride march in Paris (Lewis Joly/AP)

Police in riot gear on Saturday blocked streets to try to thwart gay Pride marchers in Istanbul, while thousands turned out joyfully in Paris and elsewhere in Europe – although setbacks against LGBT rights tempered some of the celebratory air.

Authorities have banned Istanbul Pride events since 2015, citing public security and, more recently, Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.