Description
Thousands of people marched to Istanbul's city hall to rally against the arrest of Istanbul's mayor and top rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a third day on Friday, even as the Turkish leader issued a stern warning, declaring that street protests would not be tolerated.
In residential streets in Istanbul, pots and pans were also heard clanking and whistling on Friday through windows and rooftops.
Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested in a dawn raid on his residence on Wednesday over alleged corruption and terror links, escalating a crackdown on opposition figures and dissenting voices.
Several other prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also detained.
Many view the arrest as a politically driven attempt to remove a popular opposition figure and key challenger to Erdogan from the next presidential race, currently scheduled for 2028.
Government officials reject accusations that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insist that Turkey’s courts operate independently.
AP video shot by Francisco Seco