Thousands Join Protest in Turkiye's Istanbul Over Mayor's arrest Thousands of protesters have united with a march in Istanbul in encouragement of the city’s arrested mayor, defying a warning from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that authorities would cut down on “street terror”.
Demonstrators took to the streets in Turkiye’s commercial hub on Friday for the third continued day to show their encouragement for Ekrem Imamoglu – Erdogan’s chief political rival – who was arrested on Wednesday, days before he was due to declare his 2028 presidential run.
Opposition leader Ozgur Ozel revealed more than 300,000 people had intermixed with the demonstration across Istanbul.
“We are 300,000 people,” the CHP leader informed the vast crowds in front of City Hall, disclosing protesters had gathered at several places across the country’s bigger city due to the road and bridge closures preventing people from all being in one place.
The mayor was arrested early on Wednesday over suggested corruption and “terror” links. Dozens of other prominent figures, containing journalists and businesspeople, were furthermore detained. After the detentions, the government declared a four-day ban on political demonstrations.
The arrests came a day after an university in Istanbul invalidated Imamoglu’s diploma, in effect disqualifying him from the presidential race because having an university stint is wanted to run for the nation’s highest office under the Turkish Constitution.
Imamoglu revealed he would dispute Istanbul University’s decision.
Erdogan on Friday stated the government would not tolerate street demonstrates and implicated Imamoglu’s Republican People’s Party (CHP) of links to corruption and “terror” organisations.
“An anticorruption operation in Istanbul is being utilized as an excuse to stir skimish in our streets. I require it to be known that we will not allow a mouthful of opportunists to bring confrontation to Turkiye just to protect their plundering schemes,” Erdogan disclosed.
Government critics viewed Imamoglu’s arrest as an attempt to withdraw a key challenger to Erdogan from Turkiye’s next national ballot.
Government officials declined accusations that legal actions against repugnance figures are politically motivated and insisted that Turkiye’s courts operate independently.
According to Al-Jazeera's Aksel Zaimovic, there were “many university students” at the protest outside Istanbul’s municipality building.
“They announce they are rallying the arrest of Imamoglu as well as the decision by Istanbul University to revoke Imamoglu’s diploma,” he revealed.
Zaimovic likewise noted that protesters informed him “this movement is intended to send a message about ‘systemic injustice’ in Turkish society rather than backing any one political party.”
“Many declare their right to vote an individual to represent them is being disputed by these latest developments,” he interposed.
Protests over Imamoglu’s arrest started in Istanbul on Wednesday and quickly disseminate to 32 of Turkiye’s 81 provinces, according to an AFP news agency count.
The CHP, Turkiye’s main repugnance party, which was intending to make Imamoglu its presidential candidate on Sunday, has described his arrest as a “coup”.
“Don’t be silent! Otherwise, they’ll come for you,” protesters yelled. Many held aloft placards with slogans such as “Don’t be afraid, the people are here” and “Rights, law, justice”.
Since the protests erupted, at least 88 protesters have been arrested, Turkish media revealed, with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya revealing 16 police officers had been hurt.
Police have further detained another 54 people for online posts authorities deemed “incitement to hatred”, he reported.
Imamoglu was voted mayor of Turkiye’s bigger city in March 2019 in a historic blow to Erdogan and the president’s Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul for a quarter-century.
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Tag: Thousands Join Protest in Turkiyes Istanbul Over Mayors arrest
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Published 3/22/2025