If the LGBT+ population is already under attack in the legal and policy realms, this year we have observed a new and worrying trend: the escalating physical violence, particularly targeting LGBT+ Pride parades, either through extremist attacks or state repression. Although with their own scales and developments in each country, the common goal of making the public expression of non-heteronormative sexualities and gender identities riskier is advancing at full speed. Significantly, such attacks have taken place in June, known as Pride month.
Perhaps the most tragic attack took place at an LGBT bar in Oslo, Norway, where two people were killed. But in the United States, a white supremacist group could have caused a tragedy had they not been arrested by the authorities: they were planning an attack on the Idaho Parade. However, repression also comes from state forces, as was the case in Turkey, where Pride have been banned since 2015. In Istanbul, the police arrested more than 300 people who were marching their Pride and defying this prohibition.
All episodes caused little international commotion and occupied little space in the headlines. Nevertheless, they signal yet another step further by anti-gender and anti-LGBT forces, one of which we should be wary.
Check out the compilation of these cases in English and Portuguese:
English
Pride Month in Turkey Showcased Homophobia, Resistance – Human Rights Watch
This could be one of the most dangerous Pride months ever – openDemocracy
Defiant LGBTQ+ Norwegians stage ‘spontaneous Pride parade’ after Oslo shooting – Pink News
Istanbul police violently break up PRIDE March and arrest over 300 people – Global Voices
Turkish police teargas Pride march in Ankara, detain 36 – Openly
Police ‘violently arrest 370 people’ trying to attend banned Istanbul Pride – Pink News
Portuguese
O que se sabe sobre ataque extremista a bar LGBTQ+ na Noruega – BBC
Ataque a tiros em bar LGBTI+ em Oslo deixa dois mortos – Nexo