Protests a ‘movement of violence’, warns Turkish president Erdogan amid crackdown

Demonstrations in Turkey for sixth night after arrest of president’s rival

University students sit next to anti-riot police officers in Istanbul, Turkey, yesterday during a protest after Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent to prison. Photo: AP

Huseyin Hayatsever

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday protests over the jailing of Istanbul’s mayor were “evil” and had become a “movement of violence” and that the main opposition party would be held accountable for injured police officers and damage to property.

The detention last Wednesday of mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Mr Erdogan’s main political rival, has triggered the biggest street protests in Turkey in more than a decade.