Thousands demand ban on LGBTQ groups in Turkey

An anti-LGBTQ group marched Sunday in Istanbul, demanding that LGBTQ associations be shuttered and their activities banned, in the largest demonstration of its kind in Turkey.

Several thousand people joined the demonstration dubbed “The Big Family Gathering.” KursatMican, a speaker for the organizers, said they had gathered more than 150,000 signatures to demand a new law from Turkey’s parliament that would ban what they called LGBTQ "propaganda", which they say pervades Netflix, social media, arts and sports.Demonstrators held banners that read: "Protecting the family is a national security issue."LGBTQ parades have not been allowed in Turkey since 2015.Top Turkish officials have called LGBTQ people "perverts" who aim to hurt traditional family values.