Turkish authorities have arrested nearly 1,500 people in the largest anti-government protests in over a decade, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed on March 25. The unrest erupted on March 19 following the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, a major political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on corruption charges widely seen as politically motivated.
Yerlikaya reported that 1,418 protesters were detained in “illegal demonstrations,” with around 1,000 still in custody.
The protests, some met with tear gas and rubber bullets, have been particularly intense in Istanbul’s Saraçhane Square. However, in areas like Kadikoy, demonstrators marched peacefully, chanting for democracy and carrying Imamoglu’s portrait.
Many view Imamoglu’s arrest as part of Erdogan’s broader crackdown on opposition ahead of Turkey’s 2028 presidential election. Despite government claims that the protests have turned violent, reports from the ground depict peaceful marches with businesses showing support.
The ongoing protests are the largest since the 2013 Gezi Park demonstrations, which ended in a brutal crackdown. As night falls, Istanbul’s balconies echo with the sound of banging pots in solidarity with Imamoglu, reflecting growing public dissent against Erdogan’s rule.
