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Officers have clashed with supporters of opposition politician Ekrem Imamoglu amid massive rallies in Türkiye’s largest city
Police kicked and punched protesters in Istanbul as they moved to break up a demonstration in support of the arrested mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, on Sunday evening.
Large-scale demonstrations continued for the fifth day, despite a ban on rallies in Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city. While some gatherings were peaceful, others descended into clashes with police.
Officers in riot gear tackled and threw people to the ground outside city hall. Some were filmed kicking protesters and hitting them with batons.
Imamoglu was detained on Wednesday on charges of corruption and ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist group in Türkiye. On Sunday, an Istanbul court approved his arrest, after which Imamoglu was suspended from office. He denied any wrongdoing and said the prosecution was politically motivated.
Imamoglu ran for vice president in the 2023 presidential election and is considered the primary candidate of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) for president in 2028.
In a post on X on Sunday, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote that some police officers were attacked on the streets. “We will never allow vandalism or threats to the peace and security of our nation,” he warned.
CHP leader Ozgur Ozel denied that the party made any calls for violence. In a reply to Yerlikaya, he wrote, “You will respect the democratic reaction that is the constitutional right of the nation. Any order given against it will be unlawful.”
