To meet Mustafa (name changed), 1 of the organizers of the protests, I arranged in the Istanbul territory of Kadikoj on 29 March, the day before the large opposition rally. He didn't show up to talk at the appointed time, and he wouldn't return any calls or messages until evening.
“They stopped my friend this morning, took her from home. I stayed with her family, he explained in the evening. Later, he said his friend was released from custody. She was detained due to the fact that she participated in student anti-government protests.
— erstwhile we left the subway, we saw that the full area was surrounded by police officers. "This is an illegal protest. Disperse immediately or we will usage force" they said via megaphones, recalls Mustafa. He says people panicked and decided to back out.
During this time the police closed all entrances and exits from the subway. “ Then they started catching random passersby just for walking toward the park, ” says Mustafa.
ABACA/Abaca/East News / East NewsParticipants in mass protests in Turkey, Istanbul, 29 March 2025.
His colleague submitted to the police's demands, so she was let through, but then they tracked her down. Now they have cameras everywhere with facial recognition. I always wear a mask, but my friend doesn't. Even though she wasn't active in any clashes with the police, they took her anyway. Sometimes they just watch videos and choose, "We'll halt both." It’s just absurd — Mustafa complains.
— I think that's what keeps people from taking more extremist action. The cameras are everywhere, people are just afraid that the next day they will come for them, he says.
He claims that specified a destiny has already met 3 of his friends in Istanbul, respective others in Ankara and Bursa. He has so far managed to avoid being arrested, and he does not seem to fear him very much. “If they justice me only for participating in protests, they will most likely release me,” he says. I tell him that in Russia you can go to prison for a fewer years for participating in anti-government protests, but Mustafa assures us that this has not yet happened in Turkey.
— Although Erdogan wants Turkey to become like Russia, he says.
Mustafa seems to underestimate the Turkish president.
Local media reports that after rallies outside Istanbul City Hall, there were mass riots (all in the Russian spirit), nearly 60 people were arrested who were facing up to 3 years in prison. People are besides detained for insulting Erdogan and calling for boycott shops and cafes.
Students
The riots in Istanbul began on 20 March on the campus of the University of Istanbul.
— We marched from the cafeteria to the main entrance to the university, but close the Department of Economics the police blocked our way, says Mustafa.
Negotiations with safety forces failed. “ So we destroyed not only the physical barricade but besides the symbolic 1 in people’s heads. It started mass protests all over the country. We reached the main entrance, read our demands, and then went to Istanbul City Hall for a rally, he adds.
In the following days, there were protests there, and police actively distracted their participants. Within a week, about 2,000 people were detained.
— It was strange: on 1 side of the square Chief Ozgur Ozzel spoke to people, everyone danced and waved flags. At the same time, police clashes and force occurred on the another side. This is simply a unusual situation, and I have not seen it anywhere else, says Mustafa. He adds that the police were deliberately waiting until the speeches and the party's anthem were over to join the beating of people who had already separated, so that no 1 could intervene.
“ Erdogan did not anticipate specified a wave of protests, specified opposition from students. He does not realize our generation, which everyone said was apolitical, individualistic, and obedient, says a student.
BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP/East News / East NewsAttendant of the rally of support for the arrested Ekrem Imamoglu holding a banner with the inscription: “tyranns do not last, they fall”, London, 22 March 2025.
Mehmet (changed name), who lectures at the university and besides participates in protests, disagrees. “The students have always been politically active, throughout the past of the Turkish Republic,” he says. He hopes that Turkey is now witnessing the birth of “the first actual student movement of his generation”. “There were 50,000 students on the streets any days. This is unbelievable, he says.
— We're trying to let each another know. But we don't want to be part of any party. We are students, and we are fighting for our rights here,” says Nuran. I'm asking her if they have any strategy.
— No, but this is Turkey. Everything can change. We're doing everything we can. We don't know what's gonna happen. Nobody knows. But we're trying. We want our voice to be heard, he says. Arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu He calls himself “a fresh level of injustice”, though he does not consider himself his supporter. “I support the regulation of law if individual has done something wrong, let them answer for it. But according to the law, not according to the logic that “I am the leader and I can do what I want.” You request to know your place. The president is not a judge. We want justice, says Nuran.
Red line
— I didn't anticipate to arrest Imamoglu, I expected other, more subtle steps against him, I thought it would be limited to nullifying his diploma, creating a run to discredit him and preventing him from moving for president. His arrest is most likely Erdogan's biggest mistake so far. “Mehmet, a teacher, said.
Erdogan himself was at the site of Imamoglu in 1997. As mayor of Istanbul, he was sentenced to 10 months in prison for “inciting force and spiritual or racial hatred.” He lost his office, but erstwhile he was released, he became much more popular and came to power in Turkey — what happened in 2003.
— Erdogan's environment claims that he is absolutely convinced that he will be able to suppress the protests. The situation is not the same as in 1997, it now has much more resources than in that government. He controls the media, controls the army, controls the judicial system, says orientalist Ruslan Suleymanov.
Erdogan's political instinct forced him to act. The economical situation in Turkey is deteriorating, so The ruling Justice and improvement organization (ACP) lost local elections in 2024: Most of the largest Turkish cities were mayors of the Republican People's Party.
Especially delicate to the ruling organization was the second consecutive defeat of her candidate in Istanbul. According to Sulejmanov Erdogan, “he frequently repeated that whoever owns Istanbul has all Turkey”. However, the Turkish president set up a weak candidate there so that in the event of a win he would not overshadow him.
— Erdogan's talk of a large nation, his military-industrial complex, his first electrical car, oil and gas production, respect for NATO and everything else no longer works. The opposition took the initiative and began promoting the thesis about early elections, says Sulejmanov.
Erdogan responded by arresting opposition politicians, including Deputy Imamoglu, heads of the municipalities of Istanbul, which had already begun in the fall of 2024. The opposition did not keep quiet — announced the election of a presidential candidate, 3 years before the election. Erdogan did not like it — on March 18, he cancelled Imamoglu's postgraduate degree, which already deprived him of his right to run for president. The next day, the mayor was detained.
— The opposition can thus exert force and put the substance to a vote in parliament. And there's this request in society. Most (about 58%) of the Turks believe that elections should take place earlier, even in 2025," says Sulejmanow.
Radicalisation of Moderate
— I was most amazed by the inflexibility of the protesters against the measures taken by the authorities, says Mehmet.
Indeed, despite police repression and the ban on holding rally in Istanbul, the Republican organization not only continued to support student protests, but besides organised its own events. According to Sulejmanov, its members had never conducted street protests before, preferring to limit themselves to opposition in parliament. “ Now they realize that they gotta take people out on the streets due to the fact that there is no another way,” says the expert.
The change of priorities is attributed to the fresh organization leader, Ozgur Ozel, which occurred in November 2023. all day, he attended protests in Saracana and gave fiery speeches, full of courageous slogans like: “If you want to kill me, here I am: come and see. I will not back down.” In early April he called Erdogan "the leader of the junta".
On the eve of the rally prepared for March 29, the organization office was crowded. There was a police police car in the parking lot in front of the building, but there was no talk of assault on the office or pressure. Members of the organization ran back and distant across the building and European journalists crowded on the 3rd floor. The chief of the Ozel party, to which the line of press spokesmen was set up, ran from office to office under security.
I met with his abroad policy deputy, Ilhan Uzgel. prof. of global Relations at the University of Ankara became a organization associate in 2023 behind Ozel's suggestion.
— The parties are banned, but you announced something large tomorrow. Aren’t you afraid of being arrested today?’ I ask Uzgel. As if on demand, there's a police siren somewhere nearby.
“No 1 is safe in specified political systems. If you are telling the truth, you are always taking risks, according to a politician.
He says that despite the ban on rallies, people inactive go to squares, streets and campuses. — Thousands of people cannot be stopped, the authorities must accept reality “ He says. It recalls that, according to the Turkish constitution, it is not essential to ask for approval to organise a rally, but only to notify the authorities.
— I don't think he's being attacked, but there's a risk. But if you stay home, things will only get worse. due to the fact that if you don't limit the powers, they will be unlimited. That's why we resist: in the streets, in universities, everywhere, even in small, conservative cities. People realize that injustice has been done to the opposition, he says.
Like students, he is convinced that Erdogan did not anticipate specified a strong reaction from Turkish society due to the fact that autumn arrests did not provoke widespread outrage. This time it'll count.
“ Anger was perceptible, especially among youths. I am a scientist, a sociologist, and I knew that sooner or later society would detonate and go out on the streets,” Uzgel says.
He mentions the problems of Turkey — hard surviving conditions, inflation, low pensions, unemployment among disloyal graduates toward the ruling party. “There was a boiling point, the arrest of Imamoglu was a drop that sheds bitterness,” he says.
Why did Erdogan do this 3 years before the election? “ Imamoglu became more and more popular, so Erdogan had to intervene. He decided to do it in advance, hoping that if he was imprisoned now, people would forget the election," Uzgel says,
The active participation of RNP in the protests brought results.
When Imamoglu was detained, Turkish authorities behaved absolutely in accordance with Russian tradition. As with Navalny They first tried to discredit him with corruption and then declared him an extremist.
Sulejmanov recalls that in the autumn the Turkish authorities “unexpectedly decided to pull out the Kurdish issue — painful for Turkish society, due to the fact that tens of thousands of Turkish military soldiers died in 40 years of Kurdish combat.
— They started dialog with many years in prison leader of the Working organization (PKK) of Kurditan Abdullah Ocalan. They stressed that they support the peace process — unlike the opposition, which is friendly with terrorists and wants to sow disagreement in Turkey, says Sulejmanov. He believes that Erdogan decided to "marginize the opposition", constantly accusing her of sowing discord in society and calling for terrorist action.
Depo Photos/ABACA/EAST NEWS / East NewsParticipants in anti-government protests in Ankara, 24 March 2025.
According to Uzgel, Imamoglu's accusations of ties to PKK are "totally absurd". — They are hated by most Turkish society. Why would a politician have connections to specified an organization? It's illogical, he says.
Eventually, however, Imamoglu was arrested on suspicion of corruption alternatively than terrorism. “ Erdogan has already dismissed terrorism charges, and I think this is the consequence of protests,” says Sulejmanov. The terrorism charge would let Erdogan to appoint a protégé to replace Imamoglu, but on March 26, Nuri Aslan of RNP was elected as acting mayor.
However, Nuran distances himself from both Erdogan and CHP people due to their — as he claims unacceptable ties with Kurds (Republicans are in coalition with the D.A.'s D.A. Party). They effort to talk to him like he's not a murderer. You shouldn't even feed him or give him water. He killed children, killed many people, he says. “We just want to be good people. We are “Ataturka soldiers”, that's all. We do not say whether we are “left” or “right”. In Saracan, where everything started, they were all together, left and right. This is not a political fight, but a fight for justice," he says.
Two million
A large rally of opposition was planned south on March 29 not in front of Istanbul City Hall in the heart of the European part of the city, but in Maltepe, on the outskirts of the Asian part.
Already at 10am close Marmaray Station (a train connecting the centre of Istanbul with the Asian part) red Turkish flags with the image of Ataturk are sold, and the wagons are full of people who have already bought or brought them from home. At the exit of the station closest to the rally, a crowd of protesters gathered, singing songs and chanting alternately 2 words: “law” and “justice”.
An hr before the rally begins, it is clear that quite a few people will be gathered in Maltepe. They come in waves — wheelchair people, feminists, leftist people, anarchists, organization activists, people with children, dogs. There are barely any women wearing facial scarves — it is uncommon to meet profoundly spiritual people in protests against Erdogan.
Someone plays the tune "Bella Ciao", next to me passes the girl in Pikachu costume. After the network hosted a video showing a man in a costume of this character fleeing the police, it became the main symbol of protests in Turkey. There are much more accessories with Ataturek than with Imamoglu images.
Akyuz Efekan/ABACA/Abaca/East News / AFPProtesters hiding from Turkish police who usage teardrop gas and water cannons to accelerate demonstrations in Ankara, 23 March 2025.
Small groups of policemen with shields (and 1 with guns) sneak through the crowd, but no 1 pays attention to them.
“Why are you here?” I ask 1 of the girls at the rally.
— He's not a thief, we believe him, we're here for Imamoglu and for justice. But we are not only due to him: so many people are in prison for unjust reasons,” he says.
— Do you truly think you can make a difference?
- I can, we can! Erdogan was besides in prison as mayor of Istanbul. The communicative spins a ellipse — answers. On the question of whether he is afraid to participate in protests, he nods his head and shows a banner that says, "I am not afraid of Erdogan."
He believes the authorities will yet bow down and perceive to people. — Many were imprisoned for “terrorism” and then released. It's average in Turkey, he says.
However, older people gather at the Maltepe rally. 1 of the men says he is 67 years old, of which 50 years he fought for democracy in Turkey. I've fought fascism my full life. Now you realize what this protest means to me. Imamoglu's name is not the most crucial thing here. It's a symbol. We are against fascists, against Erdogan, against Islamists. “ Murat says.
— Do you think the situation can change for the better?
- Yes, but through elections. It will be very difficult, but thanks to the fresh generation we can do it. I hope to experience democracy in Turkey,” he says, with difficulty choosing English words.
Ghost Gezi
"In 50 years of surviving in Istanbul, I have not seen as many alleged safety measures on the streets as I have seen in the last fewer days," wrote Turkish author Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize laureate in his column. He described the closed Taksim Metro station, the restrictions on the entry of cars and intercity buses into Istanbul, and the ban on rallies in the city — Erdogan’s consequence to widespread outrage following the arrest of Imamoglu.
On March 27, subway trains actually passed through Taksim Station in the dark. The next day, it abruptly started working. Taksim Square itself was opened to the public. True, he was inactive completely surrounded by police fences, but there were gaps in them that people went through, and from the side of Istiklal street there was a tourist tram.
There was a police vehicle with officers in a prominent location in Taksi. 1 cop with a weapon kept an eye on her. The second vehicle was located at the entrance to Gezi Park. That's it. This was the place where the last mass protest took place in 2013. Its reason was the government's plans to build a mosque in Gezi Park in Taksim Square.
“ Erdogan utilized force and people died. No 1 expected him to appeal to violence. The protest participants were very brutally scattered, many people had to leave the country. Criminal cases were initiated, any were sent to prison with a life sentence. There seemed to be no more specified protests — even a concept specified as “the spirit of Gezi”, “the generation of Gezi,” says Sulejmanov.
— At the time, as a child, I participated in these protests, and now I protest. I hope it comes to something. I gotta cover my face and face the police — it's difficult. I'm virtually shaking. Being an honest citizen in this country is almost impossible. All we want is freedom and independence, says Sudem.
Hasan and Emre besides participated in protests in Gezi Park in 2013. I ask them why no akin events have occurred in Turkey since then.
mediate East Images/ABACA/Abaca/East News / East NewsProtesters waving Turkish flags at Istanbul's night rally, March 25, 2025.
— Everyone was scared, says Emre. - But now everything's on fire. all generation burns from the inside, he adds. He's frightened now too, but he inactive comes to the moon. We have nothing left to lose. We've lost everything, he says.
He says he just wants a average life. “We want a fresh Turkey. The 1 we have now is not for us. It is not in line with Ataturka’s views and principles, adds Hasan.
Many protesters are inactive afraid about the consequence of the authorities, hence they did not even want to talk about politics.
— erstwhile they usage violence, many students just give up. I had friends who went to Sarachan all day, but at 1 point they said: “It is pointless. It is the same all time.” any have lost hope — especially those who had to deal with the police, he says.
— I don't think it's going to take long for universities to protest. They will be suppressed by a government that has strict control over colleges, says Mehmet.
Nevertheless, the opposition together with students took a fresh initiative — she tried to organize a national boycott of shops and cafes linked to the ruling party. It didn't go as planned, but Mustafa and Sulejmanov consider it a very effective measure.
— If the workers organize the strike, then we can hit the economy and the protests will take on a different meaning. due to the fact that if the government does not make money, then real changes will begin,” the student argues.
“ The boycott declared by the Republican organization is no longer limited to Istanbul. Erdogan is definitely paying attention to this and must do something. He may not react, but he is not yet progressing toward force and bloodshed, says Sulejmanov. He thinks Erdogan hasn't shown what he can do yet. — As his surroundings say, there is simply a backup option: to introduce a state of emergency and postpone elections. Or any kind of abroad policy stunt. This is simply a completely scandalous scenario, but Erdogan has been saying since autumn that Israel wants to attack Turkey and can someway exploit it, says an expert.
Mustafa is certain that Imamoglu will be released within 3 to 4 months, and if not, the protests will erupt with fresh force. Mehmet thinks they'll be a while longer.
— Given the fact that the next presidential election will be held in 3 years, a long fight is expected. But we will do everything we can to participate in it and at least fight any changes, as the teacher assures us.
