protests erupted across Turkey, including Istanbul and Ankara, following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on Wednesday, despite a four-day ban on demonstrations imposed by authorities in Istanbul.

The arrest came just days before his expected candidacy for the 2028 presidential elections, where he was considered a strong rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Turkish authorities accused İmamoğlu of corruption and alleged ties to terrorist organizations, while his university degree was revoked, a move that could disqualify him from running in the next elections.