Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday condemned growing protests across the country as demonstrations entered their third consecutive day following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Istanbul and other cities despite a government ban on political gatherings. Opposition leaders have called the arrests a politically motivated attempt to remove Imamoglu, a key rival to Erdogan, from the 2028 presidential race.

Addressing a rally, Erdogan warned of strict action against demonstrators, vowing his government would not “surrender to street terror.”

“An anti-corruption operation in Istanbul is being exploited to stir unrest,” Erdogan said, adding that authorities “will not allow opportunists to bring chaos to Türkiye.”

Crackdown and detentions

Imamoglu, a prominent figure from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was detained early Wednesday over alleged corruption and links to terrorist organisations. His arrest came days before he was set to be nominated as the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 elections.

According to local media, more than 100 individuals—including journalists, business figures, and other political leaders—have also been detained in connection with the case. The Turkish Interior Ministry reported that at least 88 protesters had been arrested since Wednesday, while 54 others were detained over online posts deemed “incitement to hatred.”

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Authorities imposed a four-day ban on political demonstrations in Istanbul, later extending it to Ankara and Izmir as protests spread across 32 provinces.

‘We are 300,000’: Opposition rallies behind Imamoglu

Despite government warnings, Istanbul witnessed a massive turnout on Friday, with demonstrators gathering near the municipality building in defiance of road and bridge closures.

Opposition leader Ozgur Ozel claimed that more than 300,000 people had taken part in protests across the city.

“We are 300,000 people,” Ozel told the crowd, accusing the government of attempting to silence opposition voices through politically motivated arrests.

Many protesters held placards reading “Don’t be afraid, the people are here” and “Rights, law, justice.”

Speaking from police custody, Imamoglu vowed to challenge the charges against him, also dismissing Istanbul University’s controversial decision to invalidate his diploma, which disqualifies him from running for president under Turkish law.

The CHP has called his arrest a “coup against democracy,” urging supporters to continue peaceful demonstrations.

Imamoglu, who first defeated Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the 2019 Istanbul mayoral elections, was re-elected last year in a major political setback for the Turkish president.

Fears of a wider crackdown

The arrests have sparked concerns of an escalating crackdown on dissent ahead of Türkiye’s next national elections.

Security forces fired rubber bullets and pepper spray at protesters in Istanbul, while clashes were also reported in Izmir and Ankara.

With Erdogan constitutionally barred from contesting in 2028, analysts say Imamoglu posed a significant electoral threat to the ruling party. The latest developments, they argue, indicate a renewed push to neutralize opposition figures ahead of the vote.

The CHP is expected to formally nominate Imamoglu for the presidency on Sunday, with 1.5 million party members set to vote. In response to the mayor’s arrest, the party has also announced plans for a symbolic national election, setting up ballot boxes across the country to gauge public support.

For now, protests continue to gain momentum, despite Erdogan’s warnings of a harsher crackdown in the days ahead.