ISTANBUL (AP) — Hundreds of supporters of Turkey's main opposition party defied a temporary ban on public gatherings, assembling at locations close to its provincial headquarters in Istanbul on Monday to protest the controversial appointment of an interim chairman to oversee its local branch.
This came amid an intensifying crackdown on the Republican People's Party or CHP, including municipalities run by the party over alleged corruption, which has led to a series of arrests, including that of Istanbul
Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. The mayor is widely regarded as the leading challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s two-decade rule, and his arrest in March sparked the largest protests Turkey has seen in over a decade.
On Monday, some protesters tried to push past a heavy police blockade surrounding the CHP building, resulting in sporadic scuffles, according to media reports.
Last week, an Istanbul court suspended the CHP's provincial leadership, citing alleged irregularities in the party’s 2023 congress. The court also appointed Gursel Tekin, a former CHP lawmaker aligned with the party’s old guard, as interim chair. Critics have condemned the move as a politically motivated intervention aimed at weakening the party.
In response, CHP leadership called on supporters to gather at the party’s Istanbul headquarters ahead of Tekin’s scheduled arrival on Monday. The call prompted the governor’s office to announce a three-day ban on public gatherings late Sunday, as police surrounded the building, erected barricades and restricted access.
Despite the restrictions, supporters began rallying outside the headquarters on Sunday night. Police on Monday used pepper spray to push back some demonstrators, including a number of CHP legislators, the opposition-aligned Halk TV television station reported.
Meanwhile, the internet watchdog NetBlocks said several social media platforms, including X, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp, were restricted in Turkey following the CHP’s call for rallies.
Tekin later arrived at the CHP Istanbul provincial headquarters under heavy police protection. His arrival was met with loud boos from gathered supporters and party members angered that he accepted the position following the court ruling that the party had denounced as unjust.
Speaking to journalists, Tekin stated his intention was not to escalate tensions but to help resolve the party’s legal challenges.
“We will do everything in our power to put an end to the legal troubles our party has been subjected to in the court corridors,” he said.
The CHP has rejected the corruption allegations, saying they are politically motivated and part of a broader effort to undermine the party’s growing influence. Erdogan’s government maintains that the judiciary operates independently and denies any political interference.
“We are against the government (which is) stealing our right to vote and arresting the people we voted for,” said Tulay Ozbay, who took part in Monday's demonstrations. “We reject this injustice.”
Later this month, a separate court in Ankara is expected to rule on a similar case targeting the CHP’s 2023 main congress, which elected Ozgur Ozel as party leader. A ruling against the party could potentially reinstate its former leader, Kemal Kılıcdaroglu, a figure whose tenure drew widespread criticism.
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Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey.
