Turkish protesters took to the streets for the second consecutive night, following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in a corruption and terrorism investigation. Demonstrations were held outside City Hall, with small groups clashing with police in Taksim Square. The protests are likely to continue into the weekend despite a four-day ban imposed by the government.
Imamoglu’s detention has sparked widespread outrage among his supporters, with thousands taking to social media to air their grievances. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported 18.6 million posts within 24 hours of Imamoglu’s detention, while police detained 37 suspected account users deemed to be “inciting” public hatred or crime.
The arrest has also hit Turkish market trading, with trading halted temporarily and the lira falling to a record low. Despite the turmoil, President Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party continue to defend Imamoglu’s detention, urging the opposition to respect the legal process. A CHP leader called on supporters to continue demonstrating, while Omer Celik urged the opposition to follow the judicial process.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/21/second-night-of-protests-in-turkiye-after-istanbul-mayor-detained