It is reported that officers from the Beyoglu police station smashed the doors down without as much as a warning to the occupants, then arrested all of the transgender woman in the houses on suspicion of "providing space" for sex work. Most recognize that the timing of the attack was transphobic in nature and was meant to further intimidate and ostracize the trans woman.
Turkey has legalized prostitution but transgender woman are banned from the brothels forcing them into working outside the law to survive. It has been said that the woman in these houses had come together for safety but now that the houses have been demolished they will be forced onto the streets.
This is no less than a death sentence as Turkey has the second highest murder rate of transgender woman second only to Brazil.
According to Ilkekran.com Group spokesman Star Tar read by the statement:
"trans homes forcibly entered by breaking doors with a sledgehammer. Fanning the flames of the State transphobia, transgender yönenelik has been destroyed and assimilation policies. Transphobic police practices and an end to all the anti-sex workers and transgender sex workers safe Feast Street, We want to ensure the exploitation of the labor of the right to live by the work environment. Officials urge to abandon his policy of Bayram Sokak "the statement said." [google translate]
