Gay Pride march in Istanbul turns violent

Police unleashed jets of water in a bid to disperse thousands of marchers in the centre of the city after some began chanting slogans against the conservative president.

Crowds fled from the scene as teargas filled the air during chaotic scenes in the city during what was meant to be a peaceful event.

Hundreds of marchers were chased away from Taksim Square after a police vehicle fired several water cannons.

The scene turned violent when participants - many brandishing rainbow flags - denounced 'the fascism' of the conservative President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Police then began to forcefully break up the crowd, with some officers firing rubber pellets into the crowd.

On a fraught day, pro-government protesters attacked a group of journalists covering the event, including an AFP photographer, causing minor injuries.

According to witnesses and the media, police did nothing to stop the attack. 

Before the march, police closed off access to Taksim Square, the scene of anti-government protests in 2013 - since which all demonstrations in the area have been banned. 

Turkey's Dogan news agency reported that police told crowds to disperse soon after they began assembling, telling them they would not be allowed to march.

The police appeared intent on stopping the crowd gathering near Taksim Square, the cameraman said. Taksim is a traditional rallying ground for demonstrators and saw weeks of unrest in 2013.

While homosexuality is not a crime in Turkey, unlike other Muslim countries, homophobia remains widespread.

(dailymail.co.uk)