Protesters in Istanbul took to the streets en masse over the detention of the opposition mayor of the Turkish capital, Ekrem Imamoglu.
Points of attention
- Mass protests erupted in Turkey after the arrest of opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, sparking outrage over alleged imitation of democracy and corruption allegations.
- Authorities in Turkey tightened control by blocking roads, restricting access to social media, and imposing bans on demonstrations to prevent further protests.
- The ongoing clashes between protesters and police in Istanbul reflect the growing tension and discontent among the public.
Mass protests erupt in Turkey
Authorities blocked roads in Istanbul and imposed a four-day ban on demonstrations to prevent protests following Imamoglu's arrest.
However, protesters still took to the streets, and also held rallies on university campuses and at subway stations.
One protester called the arrest "illegal" and "groundless."
This is not democracy. This is an imitation of democracy. People do not deserve this. We are, of course, upset.
Thousands of people rallied in the freezing cold in front of the city hall, chanting: "Erdogan is a dictator!" and "Imamoglu, you are not alone!".
The video shows a massive protest in Istanbul turkey condiming the arrest of the Turkish opposition leader. #Erdogan #Ankara #Istanbul #Turkey pic.twitter.com/eQpzaQ6dLt
— Journalist Steven Sahiounie (@StevenSahiouni) March 19, 2025
There were also reports of clashes between protesters and police in Turkey's largest city.
Turkish security forces use violence against peaceful protesters. Protesting against arresting the opposition leaders in Turkey #Turkey #Erdogan #ankara #Istanbul pic.twitter.com/fZhFtzuJM9
— Journalist Steven Sahiounie (@StevenSahiouni) March 19, 2025
Many streets in Istanbul were also closed to traffic, and some metro lines also canceled their services.
The British Internet monitoring organization Netblocks said that Turkey has severely restricted access to social media sites such as X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
Imamoglu was detained on corruption charges. Before his detention, Istanbul University revoked Imamoglu's degree, which would prevent him from running in the presidential election.
Ekrem Imamoglu has long been considered Erdogan's main rival in the upcoming presidential elections in Turkey, which, according to the constitution, must be held by 2028.
