Days after a prominent opposition figure was arrested, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the escalating rallies in Turkey.
Erdogan stated in an address on Friday that his government will not “surrender” to “street terror” or “vandalism” in advance of more scheduled demonstrations. “We will not accept the disruption of public order.”
Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, was arrested by police on Wednesday along with over 100 others accused of assisting terrorist organizations and corruption.
Critics of the government have protested in Turkish cities, with masses gathering once more on Friday in Istanbul and Izmir despite restrictions on protests. According to the interior ministry, 53 persons were taken into custody during protests on Thursday.
