Turkey detains 343 people over protests against Istanbul mayor’s detention, interior ministry says

Riot police use water cannons to disperse university students during a protest against the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Ankara, Turkey, March 21, 2025. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish authorities have detained 343 people during overnight protests in several cities against the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

Demonstrations took place in more than a dozen cities including Turkey's biggest city Istanbul and the capital Ankara, the ministry said in a statement.