The arrest of Istanbul’s popular opposition mayor has triggered widespread protests across Turkey, with people taking to the streets in multiple cities to express their anger.
Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key opposition leader and strong political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s, was arrested on Wednesday—just days before the CHP was set to officially announce him as their candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
The unrest expanded rapidly, reaching more than two-thirds of Turkey’s 81 provinces within 48 hours, including traditional AKP strongholds such as Konya in central Turkey, and the Black Sea regions of Trabzon and Rize.
These protests are the largest in Turkey since the 2013 demonstrations, which started at Istanbul’s Gezi Park against its demolition and quickly spread nationwide.
According to news agency AFP, many young protesters carried banners reading, “We’re the children of the ‘raiders’ who have now grown up,” a reference to the term Erdogan used for Gezi Park demonstrators when he was prime minister.
‘Police used pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets’
Earlier on Friday, Istanbul police employed pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets against hundreds of protesters who attempted to breach a barrier near the city’s historic aqueduct, whilst protesters threw flares, stones and various objects at law enforcement.
The authorities dispersed gatherings outside the city hall for a third consecutive night, following opposition Republican People’s Party leader Ozgur Ozel’s speech supporting the mayor.
Simultaneously, police intervened in demonstrations in Ankara and Izmir, occasionally using force, as shown in television coverage. Thousands participated in marches across multiple cities, demanding the government’s resignation.
Why was Imamoglu arrested?
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a strong challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested in a dawn raid at his residence over allegations of financial misconduct and links to Kurdish militants.
Along with Imamoglu, dozens of prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also taken into custody. He faced police questioning on terror-related charges, just a day after being interrogated over corruption allegations.
Earlier on Saturday, according to Cumhuriyet newspaper, police questioned Imamoglu for approximately five hours concerning alleged support for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, the Associated Press reported.
The previous day involved four hours of questioning regarding corruption allegations. The mayor denied all accusations during both sessions. He was scheduled to be taken to a courthouse later on Saturday for prosecutor questioning and potential charges.
‘No tolerance for those who seek to violate order’
The Turkish government has taken a firm stance against street demonstrations, with Erdogan linking the opposition to corruption and terrorist organisations. Administrative authorities in Ankara and Izmir have implemented a five-day prohibition on protests, following Istanbul’s earlier restrictions.
“An anti-corruption operation in Istanbul is being used as an excuse to stir unrest in our streets. I want it to be known that we will not allow a handful of opportunists to bring unrest to Turkey just to protect their plundering schemes,” Erdogan said.
The Interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, announced via social media that authorities had detained 343 individuals during Friday night’s protests in major cities, stating that “There will be no tolerance for those who seek to violate societal order, threaten the people’s peace and security, and pursue chaos and provocation.”
Politically driven attempt, arrest is a ‘coup’
The arrest is widely considered a strategic move to eliminate a prominent opposition figure who could challenge Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election. Government representatives maintain that judicial proceedings are independent and deny political motivations.
Imamoglu responded on Saturday through social media, labelling his arrest as a “coup” and criticising the government’s handling of the economy and judicial system.
“With your support, we will first defeat this coup, and then we will send packing those who caused this,” he wrote on the social media platform X.
‘Invited all to join symbolic primary vote on Sunday’
The CHP has extended an invitation to all Turkish citizens to participate in Sunday’s symbolic primary vote, where Imamoglu will be nominated as the party’s presidential candidate.
“We are determined to hold this primary although (the government) is trying to block it. But it will go ahead,” Uzgel stated.
The DEM party, parliament’s third-largest group, has endorsed the demonstrations outside Istanbul City Hall, which have continued for three consecutive nights.
Despite government allegations of DEM’s connections to the PKK, recent developments show the administration’s efforts to resolve the long-standing conflict, including PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan’s recent appeal for disarmament.
“For several years, the government has sought to split the opposition, or keep it tied up with internal issues. It has succeeded several times. But this time, the opposition has thwarted this strategy,” Can observed.
“The coming days will be crucial,” he added.