Thousands protested outside the Caglayan courthouse against the legal actions against Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and potential rival to President Erdogan. Imamoglu, who is under scrutiny for comments about a prosecutor and on trial for alleged electoral misconduct, expressed his belief that these efforts are politically motivated to sideline him. Tensions escalated as police clashed with protestors. Imamoglu has previously made history by winning Istanbul elections, serving as a significant threat to Erdogan's long-standing dominance in Turkish politics.
Thousands of supporters gathered outside the Caglayan courthouse to protest the legal actions against Imamoglu, a potential future leader of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and a possible challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Imamoglu testified for two hours before prosecutors regarding comments he made about a chief prosecutor and a court expert, leading critics to argue that the probes aim to remove him from the political scene.
Imamoglu later addressed the crowds from atop the bus at another location, stating, 'Unfortunately, this is the result of a plot that is attempted to be set up in Istanbul.'
Imamoglu was first elected to lead Istanbul in March 2019, marking a historic blow to Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul for a quarter-century.
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