Erdogan Slams Protests over Jailing of Istanbul Mayor as ‘Movement of Violence’

Protestors holding Turkish flags stand in front of Turkish anti-riot police officers near the Aqueduct of Valens during a rally in support of Istanbul's arrested mayor in Istanbul, on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
Protestors holding Turkish flags stand in front of Turkish anti-riot police officers near the Aqueduct of Valens during a rally in support of Istanbul's arrested mayor in Istanbul, on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
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Erdogan Slams Protests over Jailing of Istanbul Mayor as ‘Movement of Violence’

Protestors holding Turkish flags stand in front of Turkish anti-riot police officers near the Aqueduct of Valens during a rally in support of Istanbul's arrested mayor in Istanbul, on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
Protestors holding Turkish flags stand in front of Turkish anti-riot police officers near the Aqueduct of Valens during a rally in support of Istanbul's arrested mayor in Istanbul, on March 24, 2025. (AFP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that protests over the jailing of Istanbul's mayor had become a "movement of violence" and that the main opposition party would be held accountable for injured police officers and damage to property.

The detention last Wednesday of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan's main political rival, has triggered the biggest street protests in Türkiye in more than a decade. On Sunday, a court jailed him, pending trial, on corruption charges that he denies.

Imamoglu's opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and its supporters say the charges against him are politically motivated and undemocratic, which Erdogan's government denies.

Despite a ban imposed on street gatherings in many cities, the mostly peaceful anti-government demonstrations continued for a fifth consecutive night on Sunday, with hundreds of thousands taking part and the CHP's leader, Ozgur Ozel, calling for the nationwide protests to continue.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said the CHP should stop "provoking" citizens.

"As a nation, we followed with surprise the events that emerged after the main opposition leader's call to take to the streets following an Istanbul-based corruption operation turned into a movement of violence," the 71-year-old president said.

"The main opposition is responsible for our (injured) police officers, the broken windows of our shopkeepers and the damaged public property. They will be held accountable for all this, politically in parliament and legally by the judiciary."

Earlier, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya accused some protesters of "terrorizing" the streets and threatening national security. He said 1,133 people had been detained during five days of protests and that 123 police officers had been injured.

A CHP delegation met Istanbul's governor to discuss the police crackdown on the protesters. The party's Istanbul head Ozgur Celik said the police actions on Sunday night had been the most violent so far, with many protesters being hospitalized.

JAILED 'FOR NO REASON'

Imamoglu, 54, was jailed pending trial on Sunday, as the CHP held a primary election to name him presidential candidate. Some 15 million votes were cast in support of the mayor.

News of Imamoglu's arrest covered the front pages of Turkish newspapers on Monday, with opposition media suggesting the mayor was arrested for being the most credible challenger to Erdogan.

The mayor's supporters said the jailing of Imamoglu demonstrated a lack of justice in Türkiye.

"I think there is an injustice committed against Imamoglu. They put the man in prison for no reason," said Adem Bali, a 22-year-old construction worker.

Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than two decades and faces no immediate tests at the ballot box, said the events of the past few days showed that the CHP was not fit to run local municipalities, let alone the nation.

He also sought to reassure investors who last week sold off Turkish assets following news of Imamoglu's detention, sending stocks, bonds and the lira currency tumbling and prompting the central bank to intervene with foreign exchange sales and other stabilizing measures.

"Our main priority is protecting macrofinancial stability. The Treasury and finance ministry, central bank, all relevant institutions, with our support, are working day and night in full coordination, taking every necessary step," Erdogan said.

The Istanbul bourse benchmark index pared back some losses on Monday after suffering a fall of 16.6% last week, its worst drop since the global financial crisis in October 2008.

Analysts expect a prolonged period of political turmoil and uncertainty.

"The protests mark the most significant and widespread public reaction in over a decade, making the trajectory of events difficult to predict," said Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of Teneo consultancy.

"Once again, President Erdogan's political agenda has inflicted serious damage on Türkiye’s economic outlook."



Pro-Palestinian Protesters Arrested after Occupying University of Washington Building

FILE - Dozens of tents in place as part of a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed White, File)
FILE - Dozens of tents in place as part of a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed White, File)
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Pro-Palestinian Protesters Arrested after Occupying University of Washington Building

FILE - Dozens of tents in place as part of a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed White, File)
FILE - Dozens of tents in place as part of a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed White, File)

Police arrested about 30 pro-Palestinian protesters who occupied a University of Washington engineering building and demanded the school break ties with Boeing.
Students from the group Super UW moved into the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building in Seattle on Monday evening and unofficially renamed it after Shaban al-Dalou, a teenage engineering student who was killed along with his mother after an Israeli airstrike caused an inferno outside of a Gaza hospital.
The students demanded that the university sever all ties with Boeing, including returning any Boeing donations and barring the company's employees from teaching at or otherwise influencing the school, The Associated Press reported.
Boeing has donated over $100 million to UW since 1917, including $10 million for the engineering building, The Seattle Times reported. Because of Boeing’s donation, the aviation manufacturer was granted naming rights for the building’s second level.
Boeing is a key supplier to the Israeli army, and the country has received more military aid from the US than any other country since World War II.
“We’re hoping to remove the influence of Boeing and other manufacturing companies from our educational space, period, and we’re hoping to expose the repressive tactics of the university,” Super UW spokesperson Eric Horford told KOMO News.
People dressed in black blocked the front of the building with furniture and used dumpsters to block a nearby road, university officials said.
UW police worked with Seattle police to clear the building at around 10:30 p.m., UW spokesperson Victor Balta said in a statement. The people were taken into custody on charges of trespassing, property destruction and disorderly conduct, he said. Their cases have been referred to the King County prosecutors.
Any students identified will be referred to the Student Conduct Office, Balta said.
The US Department of Education said in a statement Tuesday that the incident will be investigated.
“The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism appreciates the university’s strong statement condemning last night’s violence and applauds the quick action by law enforcement officers to remove violent criminals from the university campus,” the statement said. “While these are good first steps, the university must do more to deter future violence and guarantee that Jewish students have a safe and productive learning environment."