Roughly 1,500 people gathered on Beyoğlu İstiklal Street for the Istanbul leg of the international demonstrations organized by the May 21 Initiative, and protested the Circassian Genocide as well as the Sochi Olympic Games, which are to be held in 2014.

In addition to several organizations representative of the Circassian Diaspora in Turkey, a number of Turkish opposition groups and non-governmental organizations strongly supported the protest.

The demonstration ended with a press statement in front of the Russian Consulate Building on İstiklal Street. The activists left a black wreath shaped like the Olympic rings on the door of the building.