Boiling cauldron is the Turkey After the arrest of ImamineY – thousands of People’s Republican Party (CHP) followers gathered tonight (20.03.2025) outside the Constantinople Town Hall where there were short episodes.
Turkish police used plastic balls and tear gases in the direction of the crowd that had gathered in front of the Town Hall, following a call by Mayor Ekrem Iimoglu.
There is currently no information on injuries.
According to AFP correspondents, police wanted to block one A group of young protesters attempting to head to Taksim Square, A flagship area of protest, fully excluded with metal railings.
By a bus to which he had climbed, Chp President Ozgur Ezel, who called for a call for the rally, he said to the Police:
“I don’t want to see plastic bullets here. If not, the Istanbul police will be responsible for what happens, “he warned.
“Who are you who will tear the hope of Turkey with tear gas?“He continued, accompanied by the voices of the concentrated crowd who urged the resignation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“Well, Erdogan, be afraid”
“The mayor is neither corrupt nor a thief, nor a terrorist,” he continued and addressed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he added: “Well, Erdogan, be scared. The roads are ours, the squares are ours!“, Calling on the crowd” not to leave the fight until Imamoglou and the other mayors are released. “
The CHP has also called on Friday for a rally of protest at the same place and at the same time.
In addition to Imamoglou, Five mayors are being held with the CHP and ten of the pro -Kurdish DEM party, of the other major opposition party in parliament.
“Those who are silent on injustice become complicit in repression,” Ankara Mayor Mansour Yavas (CHP) said, assuring: “We are not a handful of people, we are millions».
At the same time, a “concert” with pots and crops resonated in many neighborhoods of the city.
‘Young people like me will not be silent’
In the afternoon, hundreds of students gathered at their universities to report the arrest of the mayor and the cancellation of his degree from the University of Constantinople.
«Imamoglou was targeted because he was the best candidate for the presidency“Bassak Geoche, a 24 -year -old student at the University of Galatasaray, told the French Agency. ‘Young people like I will not be silent“, Said 19 -year -old Yavuz, a student at the City Technical University.
Access to social media and messaging platforms remains confined to Constantinople for a second day. THE Interior Minister Ali Gerlikaya announced that 37 people were arrested for posting “provocative messages” On the internet.
Outside of Imoglou, another 80 people were arrested on Wednesday morning and another 20 are being sought. Among them, six are also accused of “supporting terrorist organization”, namely the Kurdistan Labor Party.
Police raided Imamoglou’s house Early on Wednesday morning (19.03.2025) and arrested him on charges of corruption, with CHP describing his arrest as “an attempt at a coup against our next president”.
BREAKING:
Media also reported that a second investigation is being carried out against him, on charges of alleged support for the PKK.
Watch the big rallies from Istanbul and Ankara:
The arrest warrants have been issued following charges of financial irregularities in the Municipality of Constantinople and relations with the PKK with the CHP describing his arrest as “an attempt at a coup against our next president”.
Erdogan for Imamoglou: “Theatrics” of the opposition
On the sidelines of concentrations, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today made the first comment on the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu
He said that the opposition People’s Republican Party is trying to cover its own mistakes and deceive the citizens with “theatrics”.
“We have no time to waste in vain discussions, nor piles of money to throw them off recklessly,” he said in his speech in Ankara.
The problems of the People’s Republican Party “are not the issues of the country, but of a handful of opportunists,” he continued. “We do not have time to waste on opposition theatrics,” he added.