Hundreds of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Istanbul in what they called the “night of democracy,” following the arrest of the city’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.
Shortly after breaking their Ramadan fast, many demonstrators—especially devout Muslims—gathered in squares across Turkey’s largest city to voice their opposition to the government’s crackdown. The Turkish opposition estimated that at least 300,000 people participated in the protests.
Police responded with rubber bullets and pepper spray in Istanbul, while protesters threw flares. In Izmir, security forces used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vowed not to tolerate what he called “street terrorism” and assured that public order would be maintained.
The protests have spread to over 45 cities, including the capital, Ankara. Imamoglu faces charges of abusing his position for financial gain, as well as allegations of links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and other countries.
The Turkish government denies any politically motivated legal actions against the opposition, insisting that the judiciary operates independently.
