- Title: Turkish protesters call detention of Istanbul mayor 'coup against democracy'
- Date: 19th March 2025
- Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (MARCH 19, 2025) (REUTERS) POLICE AND PROTESTERS NEAR ISTANBUL POLICE HEADQUARTERS PROTESTERS BARRICADES, RIOT POLICE AND WATER CANNON TRUCKS PROTESTER CHANTING IN TURKISH, "The day will come, the tide will turn, the AKP will give account to the people" / PEOPLE HOLDING BANNER READING IN TURKISH, "Full speed ahead in service to Istanbul" WHICH IS IMAMOGLU'
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: DETENTION IMAMOGLU REACTION TURKEY
- Location: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
- City: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Europe,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA001996719032025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Protesters near Istanbul's main police headquarters said on Wednesday (March 19) that the detention of the city's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was a "coup against Turkish democracy."
More than 100 people gathered near Istanbul's main police headquarters, where Imamoglu was taken after his detention, chanting anti-government slogans, including "The day will come, the tide will turn, the AKP will give account to the people."
"They are conducting a coup right now against Imamoglu, who beat Erdogan four times at the ballot box since 2019 with the will of the nation," said Bulent Gulten, a protester.
Security forces barricaded the streets leading to the police headquarters, with riot police and water cannon trucks blocking the roads, as the Istanbul governor's office banned all public gatherings after Imamoglu's detention.
"We actually predicted that Imamoglu would soon go through such a detention process. We are all here until the decision is changed and justice is served," said Yilmaz Arslan, another protester.
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