Big Pride parade in Paris; Turkish police stop marchers

Paris' gay Pride parade has resumed to the joy of participants after the pandemic meant no such coming together last year

ROME -- 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 after pandemic privations — 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. The Cumhuriyet newspaper said at least 25 people were detained. Pandemic concerns forced cancellations of Pride events in Lisbon and postponement of London's usually heavily attended march. In Berlin, demonstrators set off on three routes toward the central Alexanderplatz in a format meant both to avoid bigger gatherings during the pandemic and to reflect the diversity of the LGBT community.