Turkish police arrested 42 people during a major protest in Istanbul on Tuesday night, marking 100 days since the arrest and removal of the city’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. The detainees are accused of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and resisting security forces, according to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who posted the update early Wednesday on X (formerly Twitter).
Thousands gathered in front of Istanbul’s City Hall chanting slogans such as “united against fascism” and “President Imamoglu.” As seen in videos circulating online, police used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
Imamoglu, from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), is considered a leading potential rival to Erdogan in future elections. He was arrested and removed from office on March 23. Many around him and within his party have also been detained in successive waves of arrests.
The protest coincided with another blow to CHP, as more than 100 people were arrested in Izmir (Smyrna) yesterday morning in corruption-related investigations. The CHP claims it is a victim of a judiciary controlled by the government, but Erdogan has repeatedly insisted that Turkey’s judicial system is independent.
CHP emerged as the strongest political force in the recent local elections, while Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) came in second nationally for the first time in its history. Imamoglu’s party has already named him as its presidential candidate. The next scheduled elections are set for 2028.