Ankara [Turkey], March 25: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that protests over the jailing of Istanbul's mayor 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, Erdogan's main political rival, has triggered the biggest street protests in Turkey in more than a decade. On Sunday, a court jailed him, pending trial, on corruption charges that he denies.
Imamoglu's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and its supporters say the charges against him are politically motivated and undemocratic, which Erdogan's government denies.
Despite a ban imposed on street gatherings in many cities, the mostly peaceful anti-government demonstrations continued for a sixth consecutive night on Monday, with hundreds of thousands taking part and CHP leader Ozgur Ozel repeating a call for the nationwide protests to continue.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said the CHP should stop "provoking" citizens.
"As a nation, we followed with surprise the events that emerged after the main opposition leader's call to take to the streets following an Istanbul-based corruption operation turned into a movement of violence," the 71-year-old president said.
"The main opposition is responsible for our (injured) police officers, the broken windows of our shopkeepers, and the damaged public property. They will be held accountable for all this, politically in parliament and legally by the judiciary."
Earlier, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya accused some protesters of "terrorising" the streets and threatening national security. He said 1,133 people had been detained during five days of protests and that 123 police officers had been injured.
A CHP delegation met Istanbul's governor to discuss the police crackdown on the protesters. The party's Istanbul head Ozgur Celik said police intervention on Sunday night had been the most violent so far, with many people being hospitalised.
Addressing hundreds of thousands of people in front of the Istanbul Municipality headquarters in Sarachane again, CHP leader Ozel repeated a call to boycott media, brands, and stores he called pro-Erdogan, adding all charges against Imamoglu were baseless, unfounded, and without evidence.
"Whoever Tayyip Erdogan unjustly puts in jail, this square is defending them, for democracy and for Turkey," said Ozel, who also called for continued protests as crowds waved flags and chanted slogans calling for the government to resign.
Ozel added his party would also appeal for Imamoglu to be released pending trial, and for his trial to be broadcast on the TRT state broadcaster. And he challenged Erdogan to a televised debate, while calling on protesters to maintain public order and avoid clashes.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation
