Detained Istanbul mayor faces second day of questioning as protests over his arrest intensify

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University students demonstrated against the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor and top rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a third straight day on Friday, even as the Turkish leader issued a stern warning, declaring that street protests would not be tolerated.

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Thousands of supporters rallied in front of Istanbul City Hall for the fourth night on Saturday night after detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu faced further questioning over allegations of corruption and terror links.

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Police and protesters clashed outside the Istanbul City Hall on Saturday while detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was questioned at the courthouse, over allegations of corruption and terror links. Crowds began to rally outside the city hall for a fourth night in a show of support to the mayor. Others gathered outside the courthouse.

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

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A protester holds up a Turkish flag 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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Policemen stand guard next to a police bus carrying Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and other arrested to Caglayan courthouse, as protesters protest against their arrest, outside Caglayan courthouse, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

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A protesters holds up a flower as stands in front of riot police officers during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Protesters shout slogans as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Protesters stand in front of riot police as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Protesters shout slogans as they 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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Fireworks thrown by protesters explode over riot police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Riot police clash with protesters during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Riot police fire tear gas pellets to disperse protesters during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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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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A protester shouts slogans during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Anti riot police officers use tear gas to clear protesters 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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A man, a Turkish flag draped on his back, stands in front of anti riot police officers 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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A protester reacts during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Riot police stand guard during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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A protester sits on her knees as riot police stand guard during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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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/Francisco Seco)

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Riot police clash with protesters during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Riot police clash with protesters during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

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Protesters clash with riot police 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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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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Protesters clash with riot police 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 clash with protesters 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 clash with protesters during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

ISTANBUL (AP) — Hundreds of supporters of detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu gathered Saturday in front of a courthouse where the top challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faced further questioning over allegations of corruption and terror links.

The arrest this week of Imamoglu, a popular opposition figure, has intensified political tensions and sparked widespread protests across Turkey, with demonstrators rallying in multiple cities to voice their opposition.

Many view his arrest as a politically driven attempt to remove Imamoglu from the next presidential race, currently scheduled for 2028. Government officials reject the accusation and say Turkey’s courts are independent.

Police questioned Imamoglu for around five hours on Saturday as part of an investigation into allegations of aiding the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, the Cumhuriyet newspaper reported. A day earlier he was questioned for four hours over the corruption accusations. The mayor rejected all charges during both interrogations.

He was later transferred to a courthouse for questioning by prosecutors along with some 90 other people who were also detained with him.

Authorities barred access to the courthouse using barricades on local roads and closing nearby metro stations. Hundreds of police officers and over a dozen water cannon trucks were deployed. Still, hundreds gathered in front of the building shouting: “Rights, law, justice!”

Largest wave of protests in Turkey in more than decade

Others gathered outside the Istanbul city hall or took to the streets to denounce the mayor’s resignation for a fourth night of nationwide protests, in the largest wave of street demonstrations in Turkey in more than a decade.

The demonstrations were largely peaceful but a group of protesters, trying to break through barricades to reach Istanbul’s main square, threw flares, stones and other objects at police, which responded with pepper spray. Some demonstrators said rubber bullets were fired.

Police used water cannons and tear gas to scatter demonstrators in Ankara.

Earlier, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 343 suspects had been detained in protests in major cities on Friday night, adding “There will be no tolerance for those who seek to violate societal order, threaten the people’s peace and security, and pursue chaos and provocation.”

Growing protests in reaction to the arrest

Imamoglu was detained on Wednesday following a dawn raid on his residence over allegations of financial crimes and links to Kurdish militants. Dozens of other prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also detained.

On Friday, police in Istanbul used pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets to push back hundreds of protesters who tried to break through a barricade in front of the city’s historic aqueduct while hurling flares, stones and other objects at officers. Police also dispersed groups that had rallied outside of the city hall for a third night running, after the opposition Republican People’s Party leader, Ozgur Ozel, delivered a speech in support of the mayor.

Simultaneously, police broke up demonstrations in Ankara, the capital, as well as in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, resorting to forceful measures at times, according to television images. Thousands marched in several other cities calling on the government to resign.

Earlier, Erdogan said the government would not tolerate street protests and accused the opposition party of links to corruption and terror organizations.

The Istanbul governor’s office announced it was expanding a ban on demonstrations until March 26 and imposed restrictions on the entry and exit of vehicles deemed to be transporting people “likely to participate in unlawful activities.”

Erdogan on Saturday accused the CHP’s leadership of turning the party “into an apparatus to absolve a handful of municipal robbers who have become blinded by money.”

He also accused it of “doing everything to disturb the public peace, to polarize the nation.”

Presidential primary to be held

Imamoglu’s arrest came just days before he was expected to be nominated as the opposition Republican People’s Party’s presidential candidate in a primary on Sunday. Ozel has said that the primary, where around 1.5 million delegates can vote, will go ahead as planned.

The opposition party has also urged citizens to participate in a symbolic election on Sunday — through improvised ballot boxes to be set up across Turkey — to show solidarity with Imamoglu.

In a tweet posted shortly before his arrival at the courthouse, Imamoglu urged the public to safeguard the ballot boxes for Sunday’s primary, “Don’t forget: they are very afraid of you and your democratic right to vote.”

In an earlier message, Imamoglu described his arrest as a “coup” and accused the government of exploiting the judiciary and worsening the country’s troubled economy.