Hundreds of thousands of people in Istanbul on Friday told rallies to oppose the arrest of the city’s opposition mayor, Acreme Imamoglu, “President Recep Tayip Erdogan’s warning defense that Turkey would not tolerate” Street Terrorism “.”
This was the third straightforward night that the protesters ralled the Turkey’s biggest road protests in more than a decade against the arrest of Imamoglu -Erdogan’s biggest political rival.
CHP’s leading opposition leader Ozgur Ozel, who called nationwide protests, told a huge mob in front of the Istanbul City Hall that “300,000 people” had joined the demonstration.
“This is not a CHP rally, people here are from all parties and have come to show solidarity with Mayor Imamoglu and stand for democracy,” he told the huge crowd, who punctured his speech with cheers and applause.
Erdogan “is trying to divert Imamoglu’s arm using the judiciary as a weapon and is to handle the building. But we will not be able to hand over it to the government -appointed trustees!” He shouted.
As he spoke, according to two AFP reporters, according to the two AFP reporters, the riot police broke the clashes on the occasion of protests with tear gas and rubber bullets.
AFP correspondent and opposition Hulk TV said that there were clashes in Ankara and Western coastal city of Ismi, where the police removed a water cannon and tear gas against the protesters, an AFP correspondent and opposition Hulk TV said.
The protesters with protesters with protesters with protesters in Istanbul waved the protesters, “it will be ahead of you,” it will be ahead, “it will further you,” and “law, rights, justice”.
“We did not force the streets. We are here due to Erdogan,” 56 -year -old Nekla, who was wearing a headcharf, told the AFP.
“I do not believe in allegations about Imamoglu. There is no man honest as him,” he said.
– Street protest is a ‘dead end’ –
In a post on X, internal minister Ali Yralikaya said that 97 protesters were arrested during Friday’s demonstrations.
The Mayor’s arrest came a few days before the CHP candidate was nominated as CHP candidate in the 2028 presidential race.
According to AFP count, protests spread up to 40 out of 81 provinces from Istanbul.
As Ozel of CHP urged people from across the country to perform, Erodogan said: “Turkish will not surrender to road terror.”
He said, “I want to say this vigorously and clear: The CHP leader said that the protest of the road is a dead end,” he said.
He accused the opposition leader of “serious irresponsibility”, increasing the possibility that Ozel could also face legal approval.
On Friday, the authorities imposed a protest ban on Ankara and Ismir. Next to the Istanbul rally, he blocked the main access routes in the city hall, including Galata Bridge and Ataturk Bridge.
Turkish media said on Thursday, the police fired rubber bullets and tears on protesters in Istanbul and Ankara, where at least 88 protesters were arrested.
Internal Minister Ali Yralikaya said 16 police officers were hurt. Police detained 54 people for online post officers, which “incited for hate”.
Prosecutors say they are investigating Imamoglu to “support a terrorist organization” – banned Kurdish PKK Terrorist Group. They say that they are also investigating him and about 100 others are suspects for corruption.
– Currency, stock market, hit –
The move against Imamoglu has given a heavy blow to Turkish Lira, and on Friday the BIST 100 Stock Exchange did less business, which was swept away by about eight percent closely.
Despite Imamoglu’s custody, the CHP vows that it would proceed with its primary on Sunday, on which he would formally nominate him as its candidate for the 2028 race.
The party said that it would vote for anyone, not only the members of the party.
The observers said that the government may try to block the primary to prevent another performance of support for Imamgolu.
Gonul toll at the Middle East Institute in Washington told AFP, “If a large number of people show Imamoglu and vote, it will legalize it domestically and will actually move things in a direction in a direction that does not want Erdogan,” Gonul Toll in Washington -based Midil East Institute told AFP.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)
