Protest with tens of thousands of people in Istanbul

New large protest in Istanbul. Tens of thousands of people gathered in Istanbul on Saturday to protest the arrest of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the main rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, informs Reuters, who notes that these being the greatest demonstrations that Turkey has seen in more than a decade.

Hundreds of Thoousands Take to the Streets of Istanbul to Protest Against Erdogan.

The Turkish Dictator, Who Has Been in Power for 22 Years, Has Sparked WideSpread Protests after Arrested His Main Political Opponent, The Mayor of Istanbul.

pic.twitter.com/d1aaxbvojfg

– Oli London (@olilondontv) March 29, 2025

A Mass Rally in Support of the Arrested Mayor of Ekrem #Imamoglu is taking like in #Istanbul.#Chp #Turkey #Protests pic.twitter.com/vghrxbspyh

– Karina Karapetyan (@karinakarapety8) March 29, 2025

Hundreds of thousands of people responded to opposition calls and went out on the streets throughout the country, since Imamoglu was detained last week and then closed to the process for receiving bribes. The protests were largely peaceful. However, almost 2,000 people were detained.

The Republican Party of the People (CHP), the main opposition formation, other opposition parties, groups for human rights and Western powers have accused that the case against Imamoglu is actually a politicized effort to eliminate an electoral threat to Erdogan.

The Turkish government denies any influence on the judicial system and says that the courts are independent.

Tens of thousands of people waving Turkish flags and banners gathered at Maltepe, on the seafront, on the Asian part of Istanbul, for the Saturday’s rally ‘Freedom for Imamoglu’, organized by CHP.

‘If justice is silent, people will speak,’ it appeared on a high banner in the crowd.

« The tendency of the economy, the tendency of justice, the law-everything gets worse. That’s why we are here. We say » rights, law and justice « and we are looking for rights, » said a CHP supporter who refused to give his name.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said this week that almost 1,900 people have been detained since the beginning of the protests, adding that the courts have closed 260 of them waiting for the processes.

Erdogan, who has dominated the Turkish political scene for over two decades, has qualified the protests at national level as a ‘show’, warned of the legal consequences and asked CHP to cease the Turks.

Happening Now in Ithbul, Turkey.

Erdogan Hates it when People Share These Images. pic.twitter.com/u6hyrquhct

– dispropaganda (@dispropoganda) March 29, 2025