Turkish President Tayyib Erdogan said on Monday that protests over the jailing of Istanbul’s mayor had become a “movement of violence” and that the main opposition party would be held accountable for injured police officers and damage to property.
The detention last Wednesday of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan’s main political rival, has triggered the biggest street protests in Turkey in more than a decade. On Sunday, a court jailed him, pending trial, on corruption charges that he denies.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP), Imamoglu’s main opposition party, and its supporters claim that the charges against him are undemocratic and motivated by politics. The government of Erdogan denies these claims. Despite a ban imposed on street gatherings in many cities, the mostly peaceful anti-government demonstrations continued for a sixth consecutive night on Monday, with hundreds of thousands taking part and CHP leader Ozgur Ozel repeating a call for the nationwide protests to continue.Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said the CHP should stop “provoking” citizens.
“As a nation, we followed with surprise the events that emerged after the main opposition leader’s call to take to the streets following an Istanbul-based corruption operation turned into a movement of violence,” the 71-year-old president said.
“Our (injured) police officers, shopkeepers’ broken windows, and damaged public property are all the fault of the main opposition. They will be held accountable for all this, politically in parliament and legally by the judiciary.” Earlier, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya accused some protesters of “terrorizing” the streets and threatening national security. He said 1,133 people had been detained during five days of protests and that 123 police officers had been injured.
A CHP delegation met Istanbul’s governor to discuss the police crackdown on the protesters. The party’s Istanbul head Ozgur Celik said police intervention on Sunday night had been the most violent so far, with many people being hospitalized.
CHP leader Ozel reiterated his call to boycott media, brands, and stores that he called pro-Erdogan in front of the Istanbul Municipality headquarters in Sarachane. He added, “All charges against Imamoglu were baseless, unfounded, and without evidence.” Whoever Tayyip Erdogan unjustly puts in jail, this square is defending them, for democracy and for Turkey,” said Ozel, who also called for continued protests as crowds waved flags and chanted slogans calling for the government to resign.
Ozel added his party would also appeal for Imamoglu to be released pending trial, and for his trial to be broadcast on the TRT state broadcaster. And he challenged Erdogan to a televised debate, while calling on protesters to maintain public order and avoid clashes.
Ahead of Ozel’s address, at the historic Galata Bridge in Istanbul, a sit-in protest blocked traffic on both sides of the bridge, while others gathered elsewhere in the city, in Ankara, and other cities.
Moments after Ozel finished his speech, police fired pellets and tear gas, and used water cannons to disperse demonstrators in Istanbul, while detaining several people. In Ankara, protesters stood in front of trucks carrying water canons and asked police to let them march in peace.
Turkey faces growing street protests over Istanbul mayor’s arrest, jailing
