Özgür Özel reacts to police intervention in Çağlayan

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu arrived at the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan to provide testimony as part of two separate investigations opened against him. 

While İmamoğlu was giving his statement, police intervened against citizens who had gathered in front of the courthouse. Teams blocked the road with a water cannon vehicle (TOMA) and used pepper spray.

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel reacted to the police intervention in Çağlayan.

In a post on his X account, Özel stated the following:

"The mistreatment of our citizens who went to the courthouse to support our Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is a sign of the government's helplessness.

This government summoned Istanbul to testify, and the nation went to provide that testimony. The government's attempt to intimidate our citizens, who are raising their voices against injustice, through pressure is futile.

Those who apply the law of the enemy to their own citizens have never succeeded in any period, and they will not succeed from now on either.

Let it be known that the struggle we are waging for justice and democracy is the struggle for Turkey."

İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediye Başkanımız Ekrem İmamoğlu’na sahip çıkmak için adliyenin önüne giden vatandaşlarımıza yönelik kötü muamele, iktidarın acizliğinin göstergesidir.

Bu iktidar İstanbul’u ifadeye çağırmış, millet de ifade vermeye gitmiştir. İktidarın, adaletsizliğe karşı…

— Özgür Özel (@eczozgurozel) January 31, 2025