Thousands rally in Istanbul as Erdogan issues warning against protests over mayor's arrest

ISTANBUL (AP) — Protests erupted across multiple Turkish cities on Friday as people rallied against the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor and top rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, despite the Turkish leader's stern warning that street protests would not be tolerated.

In Istanbul, police used pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets to push back hundreds of protesters who tried to break through a barricade in front of the city's historic aqueduct and threw flares, stones and other objects at them.

Police also broke up demonstrations in Ankara, the capital, as well as in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, resorting to forceful measures at times, according to images shown on the private Halk TV. Thousands marched in several other cities calling on the government to resign, the station reported.

At least 97 people were detained nationwide during the protests, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested in a dawn raid on his residence on Wednesday over alleged corruption and terror links, escalating a crackdown on opposition figures and dissenting voices. Several other prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also detained.

Many view the arrest as a politically driven attempt to remove a popular opposition figure and key challenger to Erdogan in the next presidential race, currently scheduled for 2028. Government officials reject accusations that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insist that Turkey’s courts operate independently.

Imamoglu was questioned by police for four hours over corruption accusations, during which he denied all the charges, the Cumhuriyet newspaper and other media reported. He was expected to be transferred to a courthouse Saturday evening for questioning by prosecutors.

His arrest has sparked the largest protests since 2013, when Turkey was rocked by mass anti-government demonstrations that left eight people dead.

Earlier on Friday, the leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, Ozgur Ozel, renewed a call on supporters to take to the streets for peaceful demonstrations, while authorities widened a ban on protests and criticized the appeal as irresponsible.

“I invite tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, and millions, to peacefully demonstrate, express our democratic reaction, and exercise our constitutional rights,” he said.

Addressing a large rally outside the city hall, Ozel accused Erdogan of using the judiciary as tool after failing to defeat the mayor “in a fair way.”

Erdogan, increasingly authoritarian after more than two decades in office, said the government would not tolerate street protests and accused the opposition party of links to corruption and terror organizations.

“An anti-corruption operation in Istanbul is being used as an excuse to stir unrest in our streets. I want it to be known that we will not allow a handful of opportunists to bring unrest to Turkey just to protect their plundering schemes,” Erdogan said.

“Pointing to the streets instead of courtrooms to defend theft, plunder, lawlessness and fraud is a grave irresponsibility,” Erdogan said. “Just as we have not surrendered to street terrorism until now, we will not bow to vandalism in the future either.”

On Friday, authorities in Ankara and Izmir announced a five-day ban on demonstrations, following a similar measure imposed earlier in Istanbul. Authorities on Friday announced more road closures in Istanbul and shuttered metro stops near a university in Ankara, where violent clashes occurred a day earlier.

Imamoglu’s arrest came just days before he was expected to be nominated as the opposition Republican People’s Party’s presidential candidate in a primary on Sunday. Ozel has said that the primary, where around 1.5 million delegates can vote, will go ahead as planned.

The opposition party has also urged citizens to participate in a symbolic election on Sunday — through improvised ballot boxes to be set up across Turkey — to show solidarity with Imamoglu.

Analysts say Imamoglu could be removed from office and replaced by a “trustee mayor,” if he is formally charged with links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.

Meanwhile, Ozel also said the opposition party would hold an extraordinary party congress on April 6, to thwart any attempts by the authorities to appoint a “trustee chairman” to lead the party. The decision came amid speculation that authorities could annul the party’s last congress, held in 2023, over alleged vote-buying and other irregularities, and appoint a handpicked leader.

Also Friday, gunmen opened fire on the Iraqi consulate in Istanbul, the Turkish and Iraqi foreign ministries said. No injuries were reported.

Iraq’s foreign ministry said in a statement that unknown assailants riding on a motorcycle and armed with an assault rifle, fired eight shots at the building before fleeing.

The Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement that “the necessary investigation is being carried out meticulously by our security units” and “those responsible will be brought to justice.” It said that measures had been taken to secure Iraqi diplomatic missions in Ankara, Istanbul and Gaziantep.

It was not clear what may have motivated the shooting.

A man with the Turkish flag on his back stands in front of anti riot police officers during clashes in a rally against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Protesters shout slogans during clashes with anti riot police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Protesters stand next to a fire during clashes with anti riot police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Protesters shout slogans during clashes with anti riot police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Protesters shout slogans during clashes with anti riot police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Protesters shout slogans during clashes with anti riot police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Protesters shout slogans during clashes with anti riot police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Protesters carry a security fence during clashes with anti riot police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

A police officer kicks a flare thrown by protesters during clashes in a rally against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Protesters throw a flare towards anti riot police officers during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Protesters throw objects during clashes with anti riot police officers in a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

A man holds a Turkish flag with the image of Turkey's founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in front of anti riot police officers during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

A man holds a Turkish flag with the image of Turkey's founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in front of anti riot police officers during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

An policeman uses an anti riot rifle to disperse people during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Protesters throw a flare towards anti riot police officers during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

A man holds a Turkish flag as people clash with police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

A man throws an object during clashes with police during a protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

A man stands in front of anti riot police officers during clashes in a rally against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

A man with the Turkish flags on his back stands in front of anti riot police officers during clashes in a rally against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Police officers use pepper spray during clashes with people as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

People light flares as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

People light flares as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

People light flares as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

People light flares as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Police officers use pepper spray during clashes with people as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Police officers use pepper spray during clashes with people as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Police officers use pepper spray during clashes with people as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Police officers use pepper spray during clashes with people as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Protesters throw a flare to anti riot police men during clashes in a rally against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Police officers use pepper spray during clashes with people as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Police officers use pepper spray during clashes with people as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

University students hold a Turkish flag with the image of Turkey's founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025, as they protest the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

University students march in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025, as they protest the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

University students hold a Turkish flag with the image of Turkey's founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025, as they protest the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

University students protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

University students shout slogans in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, March 21, 2025, as they protest against the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

People shout slogans as they march to protest against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranians could call abroad on mobile phones Tuesday for the first time since communications were halted during a crackdown on nationwide protests in which activists said at least 646 people have been killed.

Several people in Tehran were able to call The Associated Press and speak to a journalist there. The AP bureau in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was unable to call those numbers back. The witnesses said SMS text messaging still was down and that internet users in Iran could connect to government-approved websites locally but nothing abroad.

The witnesses gave a brief glimpse into life on the streets of the Iranian capital over the four and a half days of being cut off from the world. They described seeing a heavy security presence in central Tehran.

Anti-riot police officers, wearing helmets and body armor, carried batons, shields, shotguns and tear gas launchers. They stood watch at major intersections. Nearby, the witnesses saw members of the Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force, who similarly carried firearms and batons. Security officials in plainclothes were visible in public spaces as well.

Several banks and government offices were burned during the unrest, they said. ATMs had been smashed and banks struggled to complete transactions without the internet, the witnesses added.

However, shops were open, though there was little foot traffic in the capital. Tehran's Grand Bazaar, where the demonstrations began Dec. 28, was to open Tuesday. However, a witness described speaking to multiple shopkeepers who said the security forces ordered them to reopen no matter what. Iranian state media had not acknowledged that order.

The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.

Many remain concerned about a possible military strike by the U.S., even as President Donald Trump has said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington.

“My customers talk about Trump’s reaction while wondering if he plans a military strike against the Islamic Republic,” said shopkeeper Mahmoud, who gave just his first name out of concerns for his safety. “I don’t expect Trump or any other foreign country cares about the interests of Iranians.”

Reza, a taxi driver who also gave just his first name, said protests also remain front of mind for many.

“People — particularly young ones — are hopeless but they talk about continuing the protests," he said.

Meanwhile, it appeared that security service personnel were searching for Starlink terminals as people in northern Tehran reported authorities raiding apartment buildings with satellite dishes. While satellite television dishes are illegal, many in the capital have them in their homes and officials broadly had given up on enforcing the law in recent years.

On the streets, people also could be seen challenging plainclothes security officials, who were stopping passersby at random.

State television also read a statement about mortuary and morgue services being free — a signal some likely charged high fees for the release of bodies amid the crackdown.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to the Qatar-funded satellite news network Al Jazeera in an interview aired Monday night, said he continued to communicate with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.

The communication “continued before and after the protests and are still ongoing," Araghchi said. However, “Washington’s proposed ideas and threats against our country are incompatible.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran’s public rhetoric diverges from the private messaging the administration has received from Tehran in recent days.

“I think the president has an interest in exploring those messages,” Leavitt said. “However, with that said, the president has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary, and nobody knows that better than Iran.”

Meanwhile, pro-government demonstrators flooded the streets Monday in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, which appeared to number in the tens of thousands, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Others cried out, “Death to the enemies of God!” Iran’s attorney general has warned that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty charge.

Trump announced Monday that countries doing business with Iran will face 25% tariffs from the United States. Trump announced the tariffs in a social media posting, saying they would be “effective immediately.”

It was action against Iran for the protest crackdown from Trump, who believes exacting tariffs can be a useful tool in prodding friends and foes on the global stage to bend to his will.

Brazil, China, Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are among economies that do business with Tehran.

Trump said Sunday that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

Iran, through the country’s parliamentary speaker, warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if Washington uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,700 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the latest death toll early Tuesday. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 512 of the dead were protesters and 134 were security force members.

With the internet down in Iran, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government hasn’t offered overall casualty figures.

This frame grab from videos taken between Jan. 9 and Jan. 11, 2026, and circulating on social media purportedly shows images from a morgue with dozens of bodies and mourners after crackdown on the outskirts of Iran's capital, in Kahrizak, Tehran Province. (UGC via AP)

A picture of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set alight by protesters outside the Iranian Embassy in London, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media shows protesters dancing and cheering around a bonfire as they take to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)

FILE - Protesters march on a bridge in Tehran, Iran, on Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP, File)