Protesters in the Turkish cities of Izmir, Istanbul, and the capital of Ankara clashed with police on Friday as protests against the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu grew larger and more intense.
Thousands took to the streets on Thursday and Friday despite a four-day ban on public demonstrations imposed by the Istanbul Governor’s Office. Ankara and Izmir imposed their own five-day protest bans on Friday as angry citizens filled the streets.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Friday that 53 people were detained during protests overnight, while 16 police officers were injured.
The worst of the scuffles took place when police blocked protesters from entering Taksim Square, a bustling shopping and dining district in Istanbul. There were also large demonstrations, and fights with police, at universities across…
