Turkey Detains 53 as Protests Continue Against Istanbul Mayor’s Arrest

Ekrem Imamoglu, a high profile rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested on Wednesday on corruption charges.

University students chant slogans and hold signs during a protest march in support of arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, on Mar. 20, 2025. Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images

The Turkish government has detained 53 people amid its clampdown on protests following the incarceration of a top rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the interior ministry said on Friday.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 16 police officers had been injured in protests that had broken out on university campuses, Istanbul municipal headquarters, and elsewhere on Thursday.