The outlet described the unrest as a “display of public anger” unseen in years, with demonstrations spilling onto streets, university campuses, and metro stations across the country. In Istanbul, police clashed with protesters,

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu had emerged as Turkey’s strongest political challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. But that threat may have dissipated after Imamoglu was detained by Turkish authorities on March 19 on charges of alleged corruption and aiding a terrorist organization.

By Akin Nazli in Belgrade Turkey on March 19 was cast into an undeclared state of emergency following the detention during an early-morning police raid of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu at his home. The detention of Imamoglu – days ahead of a planned party nomination as a presidential candidate who would be widely seen as having a good chance of