2025 Turkish protests

Protests began throughout Turkey on 19 March 2025 following the detention and arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and more than 100 other opposition members and protesters by Turkish authorities. The gatherings represented significant public opposition to what participants characterized as politically motivated legal actions against İmamoğlu, who was the primary opposition candidate for the 2028 Turkish presidential election and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's main political rival.
The demonstrations have been supported by the CHP and many other political parties, organizations, and associations. Hundreds of thousands of people are protesting in almost all of Turkey's cities (especially in Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir), with the biggest crowd being in front of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's headquarters. University students are playing a major role in these protests.
The protesters represent a broad ideological spectrum, including both right and left-wing individuals. In this context, symbols of the Republic—particularly Atatürk—are frequently used as a unifying framework and symbolic point of reference throughout the demonstrations.
The protests are occurring in the context of an economic crisis. The Turkish lira's value to the U.S. dollar fell by 16.3% in the three days following İmamoğlu's arrest.
Ekrem İmamoğlu, a 54-year-old politician from the Republican People's Party (CHP), had served as Mayor of Istanbul since 2019. İmamoğlu had achieved notable electoral victories against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's allies in both the 2019 and 2024 municipal elections, during which the CHP secured control of most major Turkish cities. These victories were widely interpreted as significant challenges to Erdogan's political dominance.
In the months preceding his detention, İmamoğlu had intensified his criticism of the Erdogan administration, resulting in multiple legal actions against him. On 19 March 2025, Turkish authorities detained İmamoğlu on allegations that included corruption and providing assistance to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), an organization designated as terrorist by Turkey and its Western allies. About 100 journalists and business figures, including his political advisor Murat Ongun, were also accused of alleged criminal activities connected to municipal contracts. Charges included leading a criminal organization, accepting bribes, and manipulating tender processes. Istanbul University revoked İmamoğlu's academic degree, which would disqualify him from participating in future presidential elections if upheld. The reason given was irregularities after transferring from a private university.
CHP leader Özgür Özel characterized the detention as "a coup against our next president" and urged opposition groups to unify in response. Within hours of the mayor's detention, more than one hundred demonstrators assembled near Istanbul's central police headquarters, where İmamoğlu had been transported following his arrest. Protesters expressed vocal support for the detained mayor while chanting anti-government and anti-Erdoğan slogans. Demonstrators characterized the detention as an attack on Turkish democratic processes and institutions, with some describing it as "a coup against İmamoğlu", emphasizing that İmamoğlu had "beat Erdoğan four times at the ballot box" through legitimate democratic processes. Other protesters expressed their belief that the detention would ultimately strengthen public support for İmamoğlu, with many anticipating the arrest and vowing to continue demonstrations until the decision was reversed. Municipal workers were among those participating in the demonstrations. Tens of thousands of protesters gathered around the municipal offices of Istanbul, with Özel delivering statements to the crowd urging them to continue support for İmamoğlu while referring to him as "future president of Turkey". Dilek İmamoğlu, Ekrem İmamoğlu's wife, urged supporters of the opposition to "raise their voices", stating that: "The day the government decides its opponents is the day democracy dies."
The Istanbul Governor's Office responded by prohibiting all public gatherings throughout the city, deploying security forces to establish barricades around the police facility. Riot police units and water cannon vehicles were positioned to block access roads leading to the headquarters. Despite this, thousands of protesters demonstrated outside of Istanbul city hall, with many shouting slogans such as "Imamoglu, you are not alone!" and "Erdogan, dictator!". Several clashes between police and protesters were recorded by witnesses, including an instance of police using pepper spray on a crowd protesting outside of Istanbul University. Riot police barricaded and blocked several roads that led to the Vatan Security Department, where İmamoğlu was detained. Large banners with Ekrem İmamoğlu's pictures and a quote by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: "Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation", were unfurled in front of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building.
Hundreds of protesters in Ankara gathered around the headquarters of the CHP to protest along with CHP lawmakers. Several CHP representatives attempted to impede the legal proceedings in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, before marching out in protest. Middle East Technical University (METU) students marched on campus demanding the resignation of the government. After the march, many of the protesters attempted to move to Kızılay, but were stopped by several barricades and police units placed on Eskişehir Road, who pepper sprayed the students. Mayor of Ankara Mansur Yavaş stated that he would travel to Istanbul to provide support for İmamoğlu and the tens of thousands of protesters present.
Significant demonstrations were reported in Adana, Trabzon, and İzmir.
In Dublin, Ireland, the group Democratic Türkiye Community in Ireland began a multi-day series of demonstrations against İmamoğlu's arrest.
On 20 March, mass demonstrations broke out in several major Turkish cities. Significant protests were reported in Mamak (Ankara), Ankara, Bolu, Şişli (Istanbul), İzmir, Samsun, Manavgat (Antalya), Ayvalık (Balıkesir), Eskişehir, Mersin, Muğla, Bursa, Didim (Aydın), Adana, Denizli, Trabzon, Antalya, Çorum, Konya, Sakarya, Amasya, Giresun, Rize, Kırıkkale, and Karabük.
Students and faculty from thirteen Turkish universities conducted demonstrations or protest marches, including those of Istanbul University, Istanbul Technical University, Yıldız Technical University, Galatasaray University, Bahçeşehir University, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Dokuz Eylül University, Ege University, Bilkent University, Kocaeli University, Anadolu University, Mersin University, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, İzmir Democracy University, Yeditepe University, Boğaziçi University and Maltepe University. Police intervened against the protests of Mersin, Galatasaray, Dokuz Eylül, Ankara, and Kocaeli Universities, with tactics including use of pepper spray, barricades, and physical force. The nose of a female student protester at Kocaeli University was broken after it was kicked by a police officer, while six others were detained.
The Tandoğan campus of Ankara University was surrounded with police barricades, with several students being prohibited from entering while the rest required ID access to enter the grounds. Resistance from students inside the campus led to several prohibited students being able to enter the grounds, leading to student protesters marching on campus against the Turkish government. Following the protest march, the students were prohibited from leaving the campus, with attempts to take down the barricades being met with pepper spraying and physical beatings from police.
METU students started a protest march from Dormitory 5, shouting anti-government slogans. Students from Bilkent University and Hacettepe University joined the march by taking down police barricades at the METU A1 Gate. Despite the police using plastic bullets, pepper spray, and tear gas on the students, the protest march continued.
A mass demonstration took place outside the Embassy of Turkey in London, with members of the Workers' Party of Turkey and the Turkish Kurdish Community Solidarity Center unravelling banners protesting the restrictive acts of the Turkish government. A protest march from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square was planned for 22 March by CHP UK organizers.
In Germany, mass demonstrations conducted by the Turkish diaspora were reported in Berlin and Stuttgart, calling upon European states to enact greater action against the ongoing Turkish government crackdowns.
Interior Minister of Turkey Ali Yerlikaya reported that over 18.6 million social media posts concerning the arrests of opposition figures appeared online by 6:00 a.m. local time on 20 March.
Protests intensified in many cities of Turkey including Istanbul, İzmir and Ankara, while spreading to other cities, such as Konya, Niğde, Trabzon, and Adana.
Protests continued across Turkey. The continuation of İmamoğlu's detention further fueled anti-government mobilizations, which had already been ongoing in major cities. The protests were driven by opposition parties, labor unions, civil rights groups, and ordinary citizens, all expressing their dissatisfaction with what they considered increasingly authoritarian actions by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government. These protests had been building over the preceding days, but 22 March marked their peak, with demonstrators demanding İmamoğlu's immediate release and calling for an end to government measures they deemed undemocratic.
Istanbul became the epicenter of large-scale protests, with gatherings erupting in districts such as Saraçhane, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy, and Şişli. However, Taksim Square, a historically significant site, was blockaded by heavy police presence, preventing any demonstrations from taking place there. Despite this, protesters in other areas carried banners and chanted slogans like "Susma, sustukça, sıra sana gelecek!" ("Don't stay quiet, the longer you do, it will be your turn!"), "Hükümet istifa!" ("Government, resign!"), and "Hak, hukuk, adalet!" ("Right, law, justice!"), while others participated by banging pots and pans from their balconies, reminiscent of the 2013 Gezi Park protests. As the crowds swelled, riot police, reinforced by armored vehicles and TOMA water cannon trucks, took up defensive positions throughout the city.
Despite the largely peaceful nature of the protests, tensions quickly escalated when security forces attempted to disperse the crowds, citing concerns over illegal gatherings and public disorder. The police response was swift and forceful, deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons against protesters who refused to leave. Violent clashes broke out in Bozdoğan Kemeri, where thousands had gathered in defiance of government warnings. Many responded by throwing plastic bottles, chanting slogans against the government, and waving opposition party flags, particularly those of the Republican People’s Party (CHP). In İzmir, videos started to circulate online over riot police beating up protestors and detaining them while they shouted for help.
Elsewhere in the country, demonstrations took place in the capital Ankara, where crowds and CHP representatives attempted to march to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to demand justice. Riot police barricaded major roads, preventing demonstrators from reaching the parliament building, which had been heavily fortified with additional riot units. In İzmir, Turkey's third-largest city, thousands flooded Lozan Square to begin a march to Alsancak, disregarding the five-day demonstration ban set in place by the Governor of İzmir, waving Turkish flags and chanting pro-democracy slogans.
As the protests intensified, the Turkish Interior Ministry announced that at least 343 individuals had been detained during the overnight clashes. The ministry claimed that security forces acted in accordance with public order laws, arguing that some demonstrators engaged in "provocative and violent behavior" that warranted police intervention. However, opposition leaders and human rights organizations accused the government of excessive force, noting that many of those arrested were peaceful protesters exercising their constitutional right to free assembly. Fourty-one protesters, including a lawyer, were detained in Ankara's Güvenpark Square and in an "anti-terror" operation, while thirty-one others had arrest warrants issued. Of twenty-two student protesters detained, seven female students were forcibly strip-searched by police.
The Istanbul Governor's Office announced that both entering and leaving Istanbul has been restricted, saying that "Individuals, groups and vehicles from the districts of our province or neighboring provinces, who are likely to join illegal actions individually or collectively by using the route of our province, will not be allowed to enter or leave our province".
RTÜK's president Ebubekir Şahin warned some TV channels on X that there could be penalties applicable up to broadcast suspension and license revocation, if they kept engaging in activities such as broadcasting against the law and calling the people to the streets. This resulted in some channels such as Sözcü TV [tr] and Halk TV cutting their live broadcasts of rallies and protests at the Metropolitan Municipality building (mostly mentioned as Saraçhane). As a result, several millions tuned into livestreams of the protests broadcast from İmamoğlu's social media accounts and the CHP. The broadcast resulted in a record number of simultaneous viewers of the livestream, at 4.3 million. After calls on social media to boycott brands associated with the AKP as well as smaller businesses that refused to help protesters or sell to them, Özgür Özel also threatened a boycott on media companies if they did not cover the protests.
At approximately 12:20 p.m. local time, İmamoğlu was formally arrested following a court order. The Istanbul Criminal Court mandated his detention pending trial on charges of corruption and alleged connections to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group designated as terrorist by Turkey. The terrorism charges were dropped as the court refocused on corruption. Despite misinformation, this move means that a trustee cannot be appointed to Istanbul. İmamoğlu denied these allegations, labeling them as baseless and politically motivated. His legal team announced plans to appeal the court's decision, asserting that the charges are unfounded and intended to suppress political dissent.
At 10:49 p.m. local time, after the majority of the votes from the primary election were counted, the CHP declared on X that their presidential candidate for the upcoming elections is Ekrem İmamoğlu.
A protest was held in Valletta by Turkish residents in Malta against İmamoğlu's arrest.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya claimed that Turkish police have arrested 1,133 people since the start of the protests in 19 March. Those arrested include one Agence France-Presse photographer and nine Turkish journalists who covered the protests in several cities, the reasons of their arrests are unknown. Yerlikaya claimed that some of the arrested protesters were identified as having ties with terrorist organizations and others had criminal records. Yerlikaya also announced that 123 police officers were injured during the protests, with acid fireworks, Molotov cocktails and knives being confiscated from protesters. In a post on X, he wrote: "Terrorizing our streets and threatening the peace and security of our nation will absolutely not be tolerated".
X stated that it is objecting to multiple court orders from Turkish authorities to block over 700 anti-government accounts, including multiple news organizations, journalists and politicians in Turkey.
President Erdoğan, after speaking at a cabinet meeting in Ankara, said that the CHP is responsible for every property damage and harm to police officers during the protests. He also said that the protesters had turned into a "movement of violence".
The Turkish opposition called for a boycott of companies owned by holdings close to the government and of TV channels that censored images of the latest mobilizations.
During this time, videos surfaced on social media of protesters climbing on top of the Şehzade Mosque and drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, others were also seen publicly urinating on the walls of the mosque and littering the courtyard. Vandals had also desecrated the mosque’s graveyard by breaking tombstones.
On 25 March, a judge ordered the pre-trial detention of seven journalists, including Agence France-Presse photographer Yasin Akgül, accused by the authorities of taking part in an illegal rally. According to a court document, they are charged with "refusing to disperse despite warning during a demonstration". Agence France Presse called for the photographer's release. The court's decision was called “scandalous” by Reporters Without Borders, while Turkish Photojournalists Union called it “unlawful, unconscionable and unacceptable”.
Protesters said that they will continue protesting against Turkish government despite mass arrests. Turkish interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said 1,418 people have been arrested in past week. He said in a post on X: "No concessions will be made to those who attempt to terrorise the streets, to attack our national and moral values, and our police officers”. He clarified that 1,418 people were arrested during the protests, while 979 people are still held in custody, 478 people will be brought to judicial authorities on this day.
The local governorate extended the ban on gatherings in Ankara until 1 April.
CHP leader Özgür Özel held a two-hour meeting with Ekrem İmamoğlu at Marmara Prison, located west of Istanbul. He described İmamoğlu and two other jailed CHP politicians as “three lions inside, standing tall, with their heads held high … proud of themselves, their families, their colleagues, not afraid”. After the meeting, Özel said that he is planning to appoint an acting mayor in İmamoğlu’s place as a replacement. Istanbul's municipal council later elected Nuri Aslan, a CHP member who won 177 votes in the 314-member council.
Additional arrests were reported by trade unions and student groups, though there was no updated figures from the Turkish government. President Erdoğan continued speaking against the protests and labelled them as "street terror”. In a statement, he said: “Those who spread terror in the streets and want to set fire to this country have nowhere to go. The path they have taken is a dead end”. He also accused the opposition of harming the economy.
The BBC said that its correspondent, Mark Lowen, had been expelled from Turkey after being detained while covering the protests in Istanbul the previous day. That same day, a court released Yasin Akgül and six other journalists who had been detained while covering the protests, while RTUK imposed a 10-day broadcasting ban on Sözcü TV, accusing it of incitement in its coverage of the protests.
On 27 March, Swedish journalist Joakim Medin was detained on arrival in Turkey, where he was due to cover the protests. On 28 March, the editor-in-chief of his newspaper (Dagens ETC [sv]), Andreas Gustavsson, reported that he had been taken into custody. He has been jailed pending trial on charges of “insulting the president” and “membership in a terrorist organization,” according to Ankara's Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. His arrest is linked to a 2023 protest in Stockholm, where a mannequin resembling President Erdogan was hung outside city hall. Authorities identified him among 15 suspects connected to the demonstration. Press freedom organizations condemned the arrest. Reporters Without Borders Sweden called it "indefensible," while Amnesty Sweden warned it was a threat to freedom of expression. The Swedish Newspaper Publishers' Association urged the Swedish government to act "sharply and swiftly" for Medin's release, calling Turkey’s media restrictions alarming.
1,879 people were detained and 260 people were arrested since the beginning of the protests.
İmamoğlu's lawyer, Mehmet Pehlivan, was detained in the first hours of 28 March by Turkish authorities. Halk TV claimed that his detainment is linked with allegations of "laundering assets originating from a crime". He has since been released from detention under judicial supervision. In response, İmamoğlu tweeted: "As if the coup on democracy wasn't enough, they can't stand the victims of this coup defending themselves".
Two more journalists covering the protests, Elif Bayburt, who works for the Etkin News Agency, and Nisa Suda Demirel, from the Evrensel news website, were detained on 28 March, according to the Turkish Journalists' Union. A Swedish journalist Kaj Joakim Medin arrested for terrorism and insulting president.
CHP's boycott website; 'boykotyap.com', which was launched on 26 March, a day after CHP leader Özel announced a boycott list at the Saraçhane rally, was blocked by the Ankara 4th Criminal Judgeship of Peace.
A large scale mass rally was organized by CHP in Maltepe, Istanbul. CHP leader Özel claimed that 2.2 million people joined protests. Newspapers put the figure in the hundreds of thousands. A letter from İmamoğlu was read out at the rally to the crowd:
On the same day, in an interview with France's Le Monde, Özel told that he planned to make Saturday rallies a weekly feature in cities across Turkey, with others to be held in Istanbul every Wednesday.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that approximately 1,900 people had been detained since the protests began, adding that 260 detainees are pending trial in courts since 27 March. In Istanbul, at least 511 students were detained, mostly in premature raids, 275 people were sent to jails. According to Turkish lawyer Ferhat Guzel, the number of detainments was “probably much higher”. A protester wearing Pikachu costume was seen being chased by riot police in Antalya, leading to the Pokémon mascot becoming a symbol of anti-Erdogan protests to some. Since then, Pikachu posters and costumes have appeared as symbols at protests.
President Erdogan called the protests a "show" and warned CHP to stop "provoking" the Turks.
CHP leader Özgür Özel called on people to boycott goods and services from companies perceived as close to president Erdoğan. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that 1,879 people had been detained since the protests began, with 260 placed in pre-trial detention.
Leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahçeli, a close ally of President Erdoğan, said that if protests continue, they could be counter-protested by government loyalists, raising the risk of nationwide clashes. He also accused the CHP of "using unrest to destabilize the government". Reportedly, more than 2,000 people have been detained since the protests began.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into those who made a "boycott call" on social media for incitement to hatred and hostility.
A general boycott was done all around the country successfully.
Eleven people were detained for supporting the economic boycott, including actor Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu.
Despite his detention, İmamoğlu managed to post a social media statement in defiance, stating that he would "not give up" and would "continue standing up against the pressure" as a significant opposition figure against the current Turkish administration.
Some politicians from the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) and Kurdish voters worry that the arrest could stymie the chances of the effort to end the Kurdish-Turkish conflict. DEM deputy leader Ebru Gunay said "What happened in Istanbul showed once again that this country needs a real democracy". However, recent talks between the PKK and the government suggest that DEM Party has been hesitant to fully back the opposition. While Imamoglu’s supporters gathered in protest near Istanbul, many Dem members instead participated in their Nowruz celebrations in the city, not confronting with the government.
Following Imamoglu's detention and during subsequent protests, the Istanbul Governor's Office prohibited all public gatherings and demonstrations throughout the city for a four-day period. The office also closed major roads and rail networks located in central Istanbul. Access to various social media platforms including X, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok was restricted, according to reports from internet monitoring organizations.
The Turkish government denied allegations from protesters and opposition parties, maintaining that the judiciary operated independently from political influence. When specifically questioned about claims that the detention was politically motivated, representatives from President Erdogan's office did not provide immediate comments. Days later, Erdogan spoke in favor of judicial independence and said the protests were a "disruption of public order".
Subway lines and bus transportation were shut down in Ankara's Middle East Technical University Station during student protests.
Interior Minister of Turkey Ali Yerlikaya announced on the morning of 20 March that law enforcement had identified 261 "suspect account managers" who allegedly shared content "inciting the public to hatred and hostility" and "incitement to commit a crime." Authorities detained thirty-seven individuals in connection with these allegations, with efforts continuing to apprehend additional suspects.
Turkish authorities requested that 700 accounts on social network X be blocked, but the network refused. X nevertheless blocked several accounts, the majority of which were "university-associated activist accounts, basically sharing protest information, locations for students to go," according to Yusuf Can, coordinator and analyst at the Wilson Center's Middle East Program, who also noted that many of them are "grassroots activists" with their followings in the low tens of thousands.
Companies such as X and Meta censored social media posts related to the protests at the government's request.
The detention of İmamoğlu and the ensuing protests attracted international attention, with various governments and human rights organizations expressing concern about democratic backsliding in Turkey. Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for Europe Dinushika Dissanayake described the Turkish government actions as "draconian" and an escalated "crackdown on peaceful dissent" to limit freedom of assembly and speech.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that Turkey would need to maintain its democratic values to avoid potentially losing its European Union candidate country status, stating that the EU wished to stay closely tied to Turkey. A joint statement released by the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Marta Kos remarked that the European Union held Turkey to a higher standard in implementing democratic values due to its candidate status and Council of Europe membership.
Nearly 2000 people have been arrested since the protests began, including several journalists.
Following Ekrem İmamoğlu's arrest, the Turkish lira dropped by 12.7%, reaching a record low of 42 lira per US dollar. While the lira has since settled around 38 to the dollar, foreign investors remain cautious. In response to the turmoil, approximately $16 billion was pulled from Turkish markets, significantly impacting the country’s foreign reserves, which had previously been rebuilt to $65 billion. Meanwhile, the BIST 100 index of the Istanbul Stock Exchange plunged by 8.72%, falling from 10,802 to 9,860 points. In response, the Turkish Central Bank sold $25 billion in foreign currency in an attempt to stabilize the national currency. This massive intervention also led to an increase in interest rates and an upward revision of inflation forecasts, with an estimated 29.75% by the end of the year. These events have shaken foreign investors' confidence, undermining Economy Minister Mehmet Şimşek’s efforts to restore the country’s economic stability.
The protest also has caused several cancellation or postponement to most scheduled concerts in Istanbul. English rock band Muse postponed its scheduled gig in Istanbul to 2026 due to instability in the region and pressure from the anti-government protesters not to perform. Norwegian singer Ane Brun has also cancelled her scheduled gig in Istanbul.
2025 protests