Türkiye: Mass protests demand resignation of the government

After the controversial arrest of the Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu, protests took place in Turkey in Turkey. In the big cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, people took to the streets despite the bans on demonstration, as local media reported.

In Istanbul, people called slogans like “government, resignation!”. Police officers used tear gas against demonstrators who wanted to break through a police blockade, as a DPA reporter reported. Demonstrations for the evening were also announced in numerous other cities in the country.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on platform X of 97 arrests in demonstrations until shortly before midnight (local time). President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the protests on Friday “street terror”. The opposition tries to overthrow the streets into the “chaos”, he said. “Under no circumstances will we accept the destruction of public order.”

Imamoglu was arrested on Wednesday with many other people, a few days before his planned nomination as a presidential candidate of the largest opposition party Chp. He is blamed with terrorist and corruption.

Oppositioners see the government behind it that intends to eliminate a political competitor. Imamoglu is to be brought before a court on Saturday.

The Imamoglus party hurriedly announced a party congress for April 6 on Friday. The chairman of the CHP, Özgür Özel, said that there are indications of plans for the establishment of a forced administrator for the party. Against the CHP is determined in connection with a congress in 2023, which could possibly lead to the discharge of the current party leadership. According to the accusation, members were said to have been bribed at that time to give their voice Özel.