By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies
Police officers have clashed with supporters of opposition arrested mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu on Sunday evening amid massive rallies in Turkey’s largest city.
Large-scale demonstrations continued for the fifth day, despite a ban on rallies in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city. While some gatherings were peaceful, others descended into clashes with police.
Officers in riot gear tackled and threw people to the ground outside city hall. Some were filmed kicking protesters and hitting them with batons.
Imamoglu was detained on Wednesday on charges of corruption and ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party [PKK], which is listed as a terrorist group in Turkey.
On Sunday, an Istanbul court approved his arrest, after which Imamoglu was suspended from office. He denied any wrongdoing and said the prosecution was politically motivated.
In a post on X on Sunday, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote that some police officers were attacked on the streets. “We will never allow vandalism or threats to the peace and security of our nation,” he warned.
CHP leader, Ozgur Ozel, denied that the party made any calls for violence. In a reply to Yerlikaya, he wrote, “You will respect the democratic reaction that is the constitutional right of the nation. Any order given against it will be unlawful.”
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