Turkish locals demonstrate outside Consulate General to protest arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
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This man looks toward to consulate.
Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff
The arrest offset the largest wave of protests in Turkey in more than a decade and fueled the Boston Turkish community to gather on Sunday and call out what they say is a threat to a fair election in a nation riddled by the silencing of those who speak out against the sitting president.
'Stay Strong Turkey' and 'Vote Democratic Turkey' were among the signs held by participants, who ranged in age from little kids waving handheld Turkish flags to older adults who looked on at the crowd singing Turkish songs together with tears misting their eyes.
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The raid on Imamoglu's residence and his arrest came after Istanbul prosecutors issued arrest warrants for the mayor and more than 100 other people as part of investigations into alleged corruption, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. Early Sunday morning, Turkish prosecutors requested that Imamoglu be formally arrested over allegations of corruption and terrorism.
Participants, who did not want to be identified in the article out of fear for their visa statuses, said that what's happening in Turkey threatens the prospect of the nation gaining an elected leader who believes in democracy.
'Our love for Türkiye is unwavering, and it is precisely because of this love that we raise our voices when we see democratic values being undermined,' organizers wrote in a statement that was passed out to attendees. 'Our protest is against the unfair treatment of elected officials and the suppression of democratic rights.'
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Around 200 Turkish locals demonstrated in front of the Turkish Consulate General Sunday afternoon to show support for Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who they believe was wrongfully arrested as an attempt to block his bid for presidency.
— Alexa Coultoff (@alexacoultoff)
A day before his arrest, Istanbul University
The unprecedented decision effectively disqualifies the politician from running for president. Under Turkish laws, only university graduates can hold presidential office. Imamoglu has said he will legally challenge the decision.
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The Republican People's Party, or CHP, and other opposition critics see the arrest and ensuing threats as a politically motivated plot against one of Turkey's most popular politicians and accuse Erdogan's government of carrying out a 'coup' to prevent his political rise. The justice minister has rejected the claims of alleged government pressure over the courts, insisting the judiciary was acting impartially. Opinion polls have indicated that Imamoglu could defeat Erdogan if he ran for president.
The crowd jumps in unison while chanting.
Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff
In Boston, participants took turns making speeches in Turkish into a microphone while the crowd cheered. One of the popular Turkish chants that was repeated throughout the 2-hour demonstration instructed everyone to jump up and down and said that if they didn't jump, that meant they supported Erdogan. Not one person was seen with both feet on the ground.
'We're here because we can't get a degree that's credible in our own country,' said Ece Turhal, an undergraduate student at Northeastern University who held a sign that said 'We'll be right back,' a nod to her plan to earn her degrees in the United States and then return home to Turkey to help raise awareness to issues Turkish students face.
Last week in Turkey's capital of Ankara,
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'What's happening in Turkey right now is not lawful, Erdogan is trying to use the court system to eliminate his opponents, and Imamoglu is one of the recent leaders who can actually bring hope to Turkish people,' said Ozge Getkin, 47, who has lived in Boston since 2001. 'If we cannot trust the justice and code of law, we have nothing left.'
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Alexa Coultoff can be reached at
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