Demonstrators in Istanbul, protesting against the arrest of the city's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, were subjected to brutal police violence this evening. This can be seen in footage from the opposition television channel “Cumhuriyet TV“, BTA reported.
The protesters - most of them young people - set off on a march demanding the release of Imamoglu and the others detained in the investigations undertaken this week. They wanted to reach from Saraçhane Square to Taksim Square in Istanbul.
The footage released by “Cumhuriyet TV“ shows riot police pushing and kicking protesters, while the screams of the demonstrators subjected to violence can be heard.
The Istanbul Governorship has banned all public gatherings for four days (from March 19 to 23). Despite the ban, opposition supporters have continued to organize protests.
A day after the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul and nearly 100 other people, tensions in Turkey are rising.
Yesterday, arrest warrants were issued for 106 people, including Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu, on charges of corruption and ties to a terrorist organization. The order was issued a day after Istanbul University revoked the mayor's diploma.
Meanwhile, this evening the Republican People's Party announced that it plans to organize rallies in support of Imamoglu tomorrow evening in many cities in the country, including Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, Çanakkale, Edirne, Eskisehir, Izmir, Tekirdag, the online edition of the “Cumhuriyet“ newspaper reported.
The publication also reports that a protest against Imamoglu's detention also took place in New York.