Breaking News: Özgür Özel announces the number of attendees at the Maltepe rally!

Following the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Republican People's Party (CHP), which turned Saraçhane into the center of protests, is holding a "Freedom for our Presidential Candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu" rally in Maltepe today.

At the rally, where hundreds of thousands flocked, Dilek İmamoğlu, Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş, and CHP İstanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik spoke first.

Following Çelik, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel took the stage.

Announcing that 2.2 million people attended the rally, the CHP leader addressed the hundreds of thousands.

We are holding the Freedom for our Presidential Candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu Rally in Maltepe, Istanbul. https://t.co/vC3OjsEBF1

— Özgür Özel (@eczozgurozel) March 29, 2025

Greetings to those who stood tall against the March 19 coup attempt, to those who protect their country, their nation, and their future, to those who are not afraid, who do not cower, who do not take a step back, to all the colors of the Turkey alliance who have the love of homeland, nation, and flag in their hearts, and to the millions who do not surrender to the handful of tyrants before us.

Greetings to Sincan, Edirne, Silivri, Kandıra, to the mayors, municipal council members, politicians, and most of all, to the students who are the hope for the future of us all. Everyone can go to their hometown, or go on vacation if they have the money. Coming to this square today, demonstrating this will—they said 'this great struggle will falter,' but the millions who ran to Saraçhane in defiance of those who tried to ban going out on the streets and leave Istanbul's will alone after the events of March 19, including our friends lying in Silivri and us, showed us that anxiety and fear have been left at home. We are on the streets, we are in the squares.

"HISTORY IS BEING WRITTEN HERE TODAY"

There is not just a rally here today. There are rallies at all metro stations and Marmaray stations. History is being written here today. We will defeat those who see democracy as a tool to realize the dream of not leaving office despite having come to power through the ballot box, and who stage a coup against their successor to prevent the next president. We will never surrender this beautiful country to them. The nation started the process of change in power on March 31. Ekrem İmamoğlu defeated Erdoğan and the candidates, parliamentary speakers, prime ministers, and ministers he put against him once in Beylikdüzü and three times in Istanbul. 

'THEY GAVE THE ORDER TO SHAKE DOWN THE MUNICIPALITIES'

We saw this process not as a victory, arrogance, or enjoying the taste of winning, but as a duty. We continued to work in a way worthy of all voters in Turkey and all democrats who supported us at the ballot box. We exercised the authority we received from the nation without bickering with anyone, without polarizing, and without stooping to those with foul mouths and foul minds who rain insults at every opportunity; we established relationships with the valuable but disparaged voters of the AKP and MHP. Right before our eyes, they gave the order to 'shake them down.' They embarked on the insolence of shaking down CHP-run municipalities.

They detained Mayor Ekrem on March 19 and held him for 4 days. That was a breaking point. Either everyone would sit at home as they expected, or the nation would gain courage against the world's most cowardly attack. They tore down the barricade pulled in front of Istanbul University. The revolutionary voice of ODTÜ was added to the pioneering voice of Istanbul University. All universities were added. As we multiplied and became more crowded every night in this process, and as we marched to ODTÜ in Ankara, the struggle grew. 15.5 million people came and voted. They said, "No to the one-man rule, no to the dictatorship, we are the nation, we will win."

HE ADDRESSED ERDOĞAN

We are holding the largest gathering in history here. Because the coup plotters are still in power, they are currently standing over us in the position of a junta. We will be in solidarity with Tele 1, Sözcü TV, and Halk TV, whose licenses are being attempted to be revoked with various penalties. I am making the biggest challenge in history to Erdoğan. Mayor Ekrem says, 'Let my trial be broadcast live on TRT.' I want my candidate by my side and the ballot box in front of me. There are no witnesses, no evidence, no proof. Only secret witnesses inherited from FETÖ.

HE REVEALED THE 'BIGGEST RADISH'

Let me show you the biggest radish... The disgraceful lies invented by Tayyip. You are the biggest radish, Erdoğan!

2.2 MILLION PEOPLE IN MALTEPE!

Özel announced that there were 2.2 million people in Maltepe at that moment.

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL REITERATED THE BOYCOTT LIST, CHALLENGED NTV

We are never, ever turning on the channels of TRT, CNN Türk, A Haber, Beyaz TV, Demirören, and Turkuvaz. I am also addressing those who will advertise here: If we see your advertisement in Yeni Şafak or Sabah newspaper, we will not buy that product. They said don't do it until today, they said wait... Where is that NTV? Let me see that NTV. If they don't broadcast our rally at 3:00 PM, I will announce all of their companies here.

HABERTÜRK STARTED BROADCASTING AFTER ÖZEL'S STATEMENT

Following Özgür Özel's statement, Habertürk began broadcasting the Maltepe Rally live. Özel said, "Habertürk narrowly escaped the boycott."

THE DEADLINE ÖZGÜR ÖZEL GAVE TO NTV HAS EXPIRED

After the clock struck 3:00 PM, Özgür Özel officially called for a boycott of NTV.

Özel spoke as follows:

"From this minute on, until this NTV corrects itself and is removed from the boycott list, we are not watching NTV. We are not buying the products of those who advertise on NTV. And the Doğuş Group, Star TV, Kral FM... People are not going to Günaydın Restaurant... They are not even passing by Nusret's door. They also sell cars. From now on, we will not buy the cars sold by the Doğuş Group. Those who do not see Maltepe will see the bottom of their sales, we promise."

News Source: 12punto