AP PHOTOS: Thousands take to the streets in Turkey in a week of protests

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Riot police officers use pepper spray to clear a protester during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Huseyin Aldemir)

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People shout slogans next to anti riot police officers in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, March 24, 2025, during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

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People gather outside the City Hall to protest the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

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People gather outside the City Hall to protest the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

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Police officers use pepper spray during clashes with people as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

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A police officer kicks a flare thrown by protesters during clashes in a rally against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

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Riot police officers use anti riot rifles and pepper spray to clear protesters during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Huseyin Aldemir)

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Riot police use pepper spray to clear a protester during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

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Protesters shout slogans during clashes with anti riot police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

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A protester holds a Turkish flag as riot police stand guard during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, outside Caglayan courthouse, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

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A protester holds a flare next to riot police officers during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

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A protester throws a firework during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

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Riot police officers arrest a protester during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Riot police officers clash with protesters during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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A riot police officer kicks a protester as they clash during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Fireworks thrown by protesters explode over riot police during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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A policeman checks an injured protester during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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A protester gives a flower to riot police officers during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Huseyin Aldemir)

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A protester waves Turkish flag during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, outside Caglayan courthouse, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

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University students march across Galata bridge during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, March 24, 2025. Lights on top of the Yeni mosque reads in Turkish: “Don’t forget your afterlife”. (AP Photo/Huseyin Aldemir)

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A protester offers flowers to riot police during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

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Protesters shout slogans during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Protesters stand behind police barrier during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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A demonstrator plays the violin during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

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A protesters holds a flower as stand behind police barrier during a protest after Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

ISTANBUL (AP) — This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

For seven consecutive days, protests have erupted across various Turkish cities, with people continuing to rally against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the leading rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, despite the president’s stern warning that street protests would not be tolerated.

In Istanbul, the police have responded with pepper spray, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of protesters who attempted to breach a barricade near the city’s historic aqueduct, while demonstrators threw flares, stones, and other objects at the authorities.