Tens of thousands of demonstrators filled Istanbul’s Maltepe district on Saturday in the largest protest to date against the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The demonstration, organised by the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), marked the tenth consecutive day of mass resistance against what protestors describe as a “civil coup” led by the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
In an emotionally charged speech, CHP leader Özgür Özel accused the government of staging a politically motivated crackdown to eliminate electoral opposition.
“You are witnessing a coup, a direct attack on the future of this country,” he said. “This is the gravest attempt yet to eliminate the successor of Erdoğan through judicial manipulation.”
Özel delivered İmamoğlu’s call to Erdoğan live from the stage: “Ekrem Bey says: ‘Broadcast my trial live on TRT. I want my candidate beside me and the ballot box in front of me. There are no witnesses, no evidence, only secret testimonies inherited from FETÖ.’”
FETÖ refers to the organisation led by Fethullah Gülen, a US-based cleric who passed away in 2024 and was accused by the Turkish government of masterminding the 2016 coup attempt. Since then, the term has been widely used to justify the investigation of hundreds of thousands of people, becoming a tool of political conspiracy and leverage for the government to suppress dissent and eliminate opposition across society.
The crowd erupted as an AI-generated voice recording of İmamoğlu was played:
“They are trying to make the nation bow down. But they will fail! These prison bars hold no meaning for me. I committed no crime. I stand proud of my work as mayor. Let me be clear: I am not the one who needs to prove their innocence in this sham trial.”
Dilek İmamoğlu, wife of the imprisoned mayor, also addressed the rally:
“This fight is not just for Ekrem, it is for our children and our future. These bars cannot imprison our hope, our love, or the truth. Shame on those who cause pain to our youth. You will be defeated by the prayers and hearts of good people.”
Despite restrictions and bans imposed by the Istanbul Governor’s Office and heavy police presence, the event remained peaceful. The large turnout also included thousands of Kurdish demonstrators carrying the flags of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, refuting false claims that Kurds were not participating in the resistance.
On Friday, DEM Party Istanbul district had announced their support and mobilisation for the rally, stating:
“We were there in Maltepe with the people, shoulder to shoulder, growing the struggle for democracy and freedom.”
The protest follows the controversial arrest and conviction of İmamoğlu, who is also the CHP’s declared presidential candidate. His university diploma was revoked, triggering legal action and leading to his detention. His supporters denounce the charges as fabricated and politically driven.
The demonstrators chanted slogans in support of democracy, justice, and popular will. Many held signs reading “Adalet yasaklanamaz” (Justice cannot be banned) and “İstanbul halkındır” (Istanbul belongs to its people).
