Thousands gather near the Istanbul town hall to support the recently arrested city mayor.
Thousands of demonstrators joined a march in Istanbul to support the mayor of the city, and they challenged a warning from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the authorities would break the “street terrorism”.
The demonstrators moved to the streets at the Turkiye Trading Center on Friday for the third consecutive day to show their support for EKREM IMAMOGLU – Erdogan’s political competitor – who was – who was Arrest On Wednesday, days before announcing his presidential announcement in 2028.
Opposition leader Ozjor Ozil said more than 300,000 people have joined the protests in Istanbul.
“We are 300,000 people,” said the leader of the Republican People’s Party for the vast crowds in front of the city hall, saying that the demonstrators gathered in several places throughout the city in the country because of the closure of roads and bridges that prevent people from all of them in one place.
The mayor was arrested early on Wednesday due to the alleged corruption and “terrorism” ties. Dozens of other prominent characters, including journalists and businessmen, have also been arrested. After the arrests, the government announced a four -day ban on political demonstrations.
The arrests came a day after a university in Istanbul The imamoglu diploma is invalidatedIn fact, excluding him from the presidential race because obtaining a university degree is required to run for the highest position in the country under the Turkish constitution.
Imamoglu said he will challenge the decision of Istanbul University.
Erdogan said on Friday that the government will not tolerate street protests and accused the Republican People’s Party (CHP) of the Imam (CHP) of corruption organizations and organizations “terrorism”.
Erdogan said: “The anti -corruption process is used in Istanbul as an excuse to cause disturbances in our streets. I want to know that we will not allow a handful of opportunists to bring turmoil to Turki only to protect their looting plans,” Erdogan said.
Government critics looked at the arrest of IMamoglu as an attempt to remove a major competitor to Erdogan from the upcoming national polling of Turkiye.
Government officials have rejected accusations that legal measures against opposition figures are politically driven and insisted that Turkish courts are working independently.
Axel Zaimovic from Istanbul said that there are “many university students” in protest outside the Istanbul municipality building.
He said: “They say they are protesting against the arrest of Imamoglu, as well as the decision of Istanbul University to cancel the diploma of Imamoglu.”
Zamovic also pointed out that the demonstrators told him “This movement aims to send a message about” regular injustice “in Turkish society rather than supporting any one political party.”
He added: “Many say that their right to elect the individual to represent him is challenged through these recent developments.”

The protests began to arrest Imamoglu in Istanbul on Wednesday and spread quickly to 32 of the TURKIYE 81 provinces, according to Agence France -Presse news agency.
The CHP party, the main opposition party in Turkiye, which was intended to make the Imamoglu his presidential candidate on Sunday, described his arrest as a “coup.”
“Do not be silent! Otherwise, they will come for you,” the demonstrators shouted. Many held high banners with slogans such as “Do not be afraid, people here” and “rights, law, justice.”
Since the outbreaks of the protests, at least 88 demonstrators have been arrested, according to the Turkish media, as Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that 16 police officers were injured.
He said that the police also detained 54 other online jobs that the authorities considered “an incitement to hate.”
Imamoglu, the mayor of the largest city in Turkiye, was elected in March 2019 in A. Historical To Erdogan and the President’s Justice and Development Party, which was controlling Istanbul for a quarter of a century.
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