2,5 million people protest against Erdogan in Istanbul

Istanbul witnessed one of the largest protests in modern Turkish history on March 29, 2025, as an estimated 2.5 million people flooded the streets to voice their discontent with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration. The unprecedented mass demonstrations were ignited by the recent arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, the city’s mayor and a prominent political rival to Erdogan, leading to a week of unrest.

The turmoil began on March 19 when Imamoglu was detained on charges of corruption and supporting terrorism—accusations that the opposition claims are unfounded and politically motivated. Following a court’s decision to remand him in custody pending trial, public outrage escalated. Protests erupted outside City Hall in Istanbul’s Saraçane district and quickly transitioned into a nationwide movement. On the Asian side of Istanbul, hundreds of thousands gathered at the Maltepe waterfront, waving Turkish flags and chanting slogans demanding Erdogan’s resignation.

Özgür Özel, the leader of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), addressed the crowd, denouncing Imamoglu’s arrest as a government tactic to eliminate competition ahead of the 2028 elections. He estimated the crowd size at 2.2 million, although independent sources have yet to verify the exact figures.

In response to the protests, Erdogan’s government has employed a heavy-handed approach, deploying police to use tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets. Reports indicate that over 1,900 individuals have been arrested across the country since the protests began. Authorities have also imposed bans on gatherings in several cities, including Istanbul, and restricted access to social media, blocking more than 700 accounts on the X platform, which includes journalists and political figures. Erdogan has characterized the demonstrations as a “violent movement,” accusing the CHP of inciting unrest and vowing to combat what he calls “street terrorism.” The Justice Ministry has defended the independence of the judiciary, denying any political motivations behind Imamoglu’s case.

These protests reflect a profound crisis gripping Turkey, marked by economic hardships such as a plunging lira and soaring inflation, alongside widespread accusations of authoritarianism. Imamoglu, who has won three mayoral elections, is viewed as a beacon of hope for political change. His detention, coupled with the revocation of his university diploma just before his arrest, has galvanized support, with approximately 15 million people, including 13 million non-members, casting symbolic ballots for the CHP to endorse him as a presidential candidate.