Hundreds of thousands of protestors have taken to the streets of Istanbul following the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul’s mayor and the most popular opposition leader. İmamoğlu and his Republican People’s Party (CHP) claim the arrest and prosecution are politically motivated: revenge for winning three local elections in Istanbul, and a measure to prevent him from running against president Erdoğan in the next election.
Will the protests against İmamoğlu’s arrest trouble Erdoğan? The authorities are certainly worried. Governors of major cities have banned all demonstrations and gatherings in the major cities, despite the constitution stating ‘the right to hold unarmed and peaceful meetings and demonstration marches without prior permission’.
Each night, the police have employed tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and water cannons. The biggest clashes appeared in Istanbul under the arches of the Valens Aqueduct, built in the 4th century. More than 1,000 people have been arrested, including journalists.
The demonstrations have attracted an unlikely crowd, well beyond the supporters of Imamoğlu’s centrist CHP.
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