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HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people rallied in Istanbul this evening to protest the arrest of the city’s opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, defying a warning from President Erdogan that Turkey would not tolerate “street terrorism”.
It was the third straight night that demonstrators had rallied against the arrest of Imamoglu – Erdogan’s biggest political rival – in Turkey’s biggest street protests in more than a decade.
Opposition leader Ozgur Ozel, head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) which called the nationwide protests, told a vast crowd in front of Istanbul City Hall that “300,000 people” had joined the demonstration.
“This is not a CHP rally, the people here are from all parties and have come to show solidarity with Mayor Imamoglu and stand up for democracy,” he told the vast gathering which punctuated his speech with cheering and applause.
Erdogan is “trying to twist Imamoglu’s arm by using the judiciary as a weapon and take over this building. But we won’t hand it over to a government-appointed trustee!” he yelled.
As he spoke, clashes erupted on the sidelines of the protest, with riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets.
Clashes also broke out in Ankara and the western coastal city of Izmir where police fired water cannons and tear gas against protesters.
“Don’t stay silent or it will be you next,” chanted the demonstrators in Istanbul as the massive gathered at sunset with protesters waved placards reading: “Don’t be afraid, the people are here!” and “Law, rights, justice”.
“We did not take to streets by force. We are here because of Erdogan,” 56-year-old Necla, who was wearing a headscarf, told reporters.
“I don’t believe in the allegations about Imamoglu. There is no man as honest as him,” she said.
The arrest came just days before Imamoglu was to have been formally named as the CHP’s candidate in the 2028 presidential race.
The protests spread quickly from Istanbul to at least 40 of Turkey’s 81 provinces.
As the CHP’s Ozel urged people across the country to stand up, Erodogan said: “Turkey will not surrender to street terror.
“Let me say it loud and clear: the street protests that the CHP leader has called for are a dead end,” he added.
He accused the opposition leader of “grave irresponsibility”, raising concern that he too could face legal sanction.
Today, authorities extended a protest ban to Ankara and Izmir. Ahead of the Istanbul rally, they blocked off the main access routes to City Hall, including Galata Bridge and Ataturk Bridge.
Police fired rubber bullets and teargas at protesters in Istanbul and Ankara yesterday, where at least 88 protesters were arrested, Turkish media said.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 16 police officers had been hurt. Police detained 54 people for online posts authorities deemed “incitement to hatred”.
Prosecutors say they are investigating Imamoglu for “aiding a terrorist organisation” — the banned Kurdish PKK militant group. They say they are also investigating him and around 100 other suspects for corruption.
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