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Police Arrest Over 340 Protesters as Ankara Rejects "Street Terrorism"
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Opposition continues to exert pressure through protests and symbolic elections, while the government rejects any interference with the judiciary or "street terrorism"
Political tensions in Turkey escalated following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on charges of corruption and supporting terrorism, sparking widespread protests in several major cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.
The Turkish Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of over 340 individuals in connection with protests that erupted in the major cities on Friday evening, where the police used various means to disperse the demonstrators. The ministry confirmed that the arrests were made following "coordinated investigations with the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office."
The opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), to which Imamoglu belongs, called for peaceful demonstrations to express rejection of the arrest, and launched the "symbolic elections" initiative across Turkish cities, setting up ballot boxes to show solidarity with Imamoglu.
Imamoglu himself urged his supporters to take part in these symbolic elections, emphasizing that the protests aimed to protect "democracy."
On the other hand, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly responded to the protests, stressing that the case was judicial, not political, and that the government would not allow "street terrorism."
Meanwhile, the Turkish lira continued to decline, negatively impacting the Istanbul stock market, raising concerns about the economic fallout from the crisis.
Political analysts suggest that Imamoglu's arrest could reshape Turkey's political landscape, especially with the growing divisions between the opposition-supporting public and government supporters.
As tensions continue to rise, the likelihood of further escalation in the coming days remains high.
