Mass Demonstration At The Instabul Police Headquarters, Protests The Arrest Of Political Competitors Erdogan On Terrorism Allegations

UNSPLASH/Imad Alassory ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Protesters staged a protest near the main police headquarters of Istanbul, Turkey. Demonstrators say the detention of President Tayyip Erdogan's main political competitor who is also the mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, is a blow to Turkey's democracy.

Turkish authorities have detained Immoglu, from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), on charges including corruption and helping terrorist groups, sparking protests and criticism from opposition, a government critic.

More than 100 people gathered near the police headquarters, where Immoglu was taken after being detained on Wednesday, March 19. The crowd shouted support for the mayor and anti-governmental slogans.

"They are carrying out a coup against Imamoglu, who has beaten Erdogan four times in ballot boxes since 2019 on the will of the nation," said Bulent Gulten, a protester, referring to the 2019 and 2024 regional elections when the Immoglu CHP defeated Erdogan by sweeping most major cities.

"Today, the Turkish nation will once again unite against those who betray democracy and national will. The Immoglu embezzlement grows and becomes stronger in the eyes of the people," he said.

Security forces barricaded the streets to police headquarters, while police antihuru-hara and water cannon trucks blocked the temporary streets of Istanbul's governor's office banning all public gatherings following the detention of Immoglu.

"We came here to support the mayor. They arrested him unfairly. So, we are here to support him," said Murat Sapankaya, a city worker who took part in the protest.

Immoglu, 54, has stepped up his criticism of Erdogan and his government in recent months, sparking a wave of legal action and charges against him.

Imamoglu emphasized that he would not give up and would continue to fight the pressure.

"We actually thought that Imamoglu would soon undergo such a detention process. We are all here until the decision is changed and justice is upheld," said Yilmaz Arslan, another protester.