ISTANBUL, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police on Sunday used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) groups rallying in central Istanbul.
As the Istanbul governor banned the annual LGBT pride march for the fifth consecutive year, hundreds of people gathered on several side streets near the Taksim Square aiming at delivering a public statement.
"We do not give up our lives, our solidarity, nor our organized struggle! We are here," the groups declared during the rallies, denouncing the ban on their annual march, according to the T24 news portal.
Police then dispersed the crowds in three adjacent streets by firing rubber bullets and tear gas, T24 noted, saying at least two people were detained.
The last pride march was held in 2014 at the Taksim Square, in which over 100,000 people protested against violence and widespread hostility against LGBT members in society.
