Protests erupted in several Turkish cities on Friday, with citizens voicing their opposition to the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Despite Erdogan’s firm warning against street protests, demonstrators gathered in multiple locations to express their discontent.
In Istanbul, law enforcement intervened with pepper spray, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of protesters attempting to breach a barricade near the historic aqueduct. Clashes ensued as demonstrators hurled flares, stones, and other objects at the police force.
Similar tensions unfolded in Ankara and the coastal city of Izmir, where authorities deployed forceful tactics. Halk TV reported that thousands of protestors took to the streets in various cities, demanding the government’s resignation.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that at least 97 individuals were detained nationwide throughout the demonstrations.
These protests were triggered by the arrest of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was apprehended during a pre-dawn raid on Wednesday, facing allegations of corruption and ties to terrorism. This development signaled an intensified crackdown on opposition figures and dissenting voices, with additional arrests made, including two district mayors.
Observers perceive the mayor’s arrest as a politically motivated move to eliminate a significant opposition figure ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Government spokespeople, however, maintain that the legal proceedings against opposition figures are not politically driven, emphasizing the independence of Turkey’s judiciary.
Imamoglu spent four hours in police custody, answering questions related to corruption allegations, which he firmly denied, according to reports by the Cumhuriyet newspaper and other media outlets. He was anticipated to be transferred to a courthouse for a prosecutor’s inquiry later.
These events have catalyzed the largest-scale protests since 2013, a period marked by massive anti-government demonstrations resulting in eight casualties.
Earlier Friday, the head of Turkey’s major opposition party, Ozgur Ozel, encouraged peaceful street demonstrations. Authorities retaliated by expanding a ban on protests and labeled the opposition’s call as reckless.
“I urge tens of thousands, even millions, to participate in peaceful demonstrations to voice our democratic reaction and exercise our constitutional rights,” Ozel stated.
During a large rally at the city hall, Ozel charged Erdogan with manipulating the judiciary to overcome the mayor without engaging in fair competition.
Addressing the situation, Erdogan—who has grown more authoritarian over his two-decade-long tenure—declared an intolerance for street protests, accusing the opposition of corruption and ties with terror groups. He asserted, “An anti-corruption operation in Istanbul is being misused to incite unrest in the streets. We will not surrender our streets to protect corrupt schemes.”
Moreover, Erdogan emphasized, “Pointing to the streets for the defense of theft, plunder, lawlessness, and fraud is gravely irresponsible.” He added, “We have resisted street terrorism and will not yield to vandalism now or in the future.”
Authorities in Ankara and Izmir introduced a five-day protest ban following a similar measure in Istanbul. There were also more road closures in Istanbul and certain metro stops in Ankara were shut down to prevent further violent outbreaks.
Imamoglu’s arrest came just before he was due to be endorsed as the opposition Republican People’s Party’s presidential candidate on Sunday. Ozgur Ozel asserted that the primary, allowing some 1.5 million delegates to vote, will proceed as planned.
The opposition party has prompted citizens to engage in a symbolic election on Sunday, utilizing improvised ballot boxes nationwide, to show solidarity with Imamoglu.
Experts suggest Imamoglu may be removed from his office and supplanted by a “trustee mayor” should he be formally charged with involvement with the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), recognized as a terror outfit by Turkey and Western allies.
Parallel to these events, Ozel indicated that the party would convene an extraordinary congress on April 6, counteracting potential moves by authorities to assign a “trustee chairman” for the party. This comes amidst speculations that prior congress results may be annulled over alleged malpractice, paving the way for the appointment of government-aligned leadership.
On the same day, gunmen targeted the Iraqi consulate in Istanbul, as confirmed by both Turkish and Iraqi foreign ministries. Although no injuries were reported, the attack involved eight shots fired by assailants on a motorcycle, who subsequently fled the scene.
The Turkish foreign ministry assured that investigations were underway and those responsible would face justice, adding that security had been tightened at Iraqi diplomatic missions within Turkey.
The motive behind the attack on the consulate remains unclear.
