Protests Erupt in Turkey After Imamoglu's Arrest, Police Use Tear Gas

Protests in Istanbul and Ankara surged in response to the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges, with demonstrators clashing with police who used pepper spray and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. Despite a ban on gatherings, hundreds of thousands took to the streets for five consecutive nights, expressing anger over what many perceive as a politically motivated arrest aimed at undermining Imamoglu's potential 2028 presidential bid. The protests have been described as the largest Turkey has seen in over a decade, with some gatherings turning violent, leading to hundreds of arrests. Critics, including foreign governments, have condemned the Turkish judiciary's actions as a significant setback for democracy, emphasizing the need for political competition to occur through democratic means rather than judicial persecution. Imamoglu's supporters continue to rally, with his wife publicly vowing to fight against the perceived injustices faced by her husband. The Turkish government maintains that the judicial process is independent and denies any political motivations behind the arrest.