More than 1,000 protesters arrested in anti-Erdoğan demonstrations in Istanbul

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Monday that authorities detained 1,133 people in the last five days for illegal demonstrations. Hundreds of thousands have gathered outside Istanbul’s city hall each night since last Wednesday to protest the arrest of city mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a political rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Authorities arrested Imamoglu March 19 on charges of corruption and running a criminal organization and jailed him pending the outcome of his case. Imamoglu is a member of the opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, and is the sole candidate set to oppose Erdoğan in the next presidential election, scheduled for 2028. Imamoglu’s party confirmed him as its nominee in a Sunday vote after his arrest. In a Sunday message posted to his X account, he said the vote indicates Turkey is done with Erdoğan.

Have protests been violent? Police have used water cannons, tear gas, and plastic pellets against protesters—and some protesters have also thrown stones, fireworks, and other missiles at police. Erdoğan in a Monday address said 123 government security officers had been injured in the protests and that protesters had caused billions of liras in property damage.