Istanbul is on edge and on the brink of more violence amid Erdogan’s ongoing crackdown on the country’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), which on Sunday urged citizens and residents of Istanbul to take to the streets and gather after police set up barricades in areas around its Istanbul headquarters.
Authorities are blaming CHP officials for causing unrest while disrupting the public order, after hours of mayhem. The scene outside CHP Istanbul Provincial Headquarters was of tense police clashes with protesters, after which the court-appointed interim leader of CHP finally entered the party’s office under police protection.
Last Tuesday a top Turkish court annulled the results of the CHP’s 2023 Istanbul provincial congress, over alleged bribery that influenced delegate votes. This resulted in the court-ordered the dismissal of the board members elected at that congress.
The CHP has rejected the ruling and the bribery claims in particular, arguing that the court has no authority to override final decisions made at the party congress.
The court had named former CHP deputy chair Gürsel Tekin as interim provincial head, replacing Özgur Çelik. The CHP plans will hold an extraordinary congress on September 21, to reassert autonomy and fight back against what it says is a politically motivated persecution by Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
The state-backed targeting of CHP leadership, by the AKP-stacked courts (among law enforcement institutions and prosecutors as well), has only increased in the wake its widespread success in the 2024 local elections.
Clashes amid the fight to defend CHP HQ from police enforcing court ordered leadership change…
Protests in Istanbul and restrictions on social media in Turkey
➡️Protests took place in Istanbul, followed by restrictions on access to social media platforms on Monday morning. Turkish authorities have yet to issue any official clarification. pic.twitter.com/BC0F3e04NV
— Sprinter Express (@SprinterExpres0) September 8, 2025
CHP leaders have denounced the ruling as “null and void”. However, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has denounced those who posted social media content urging crowds to come barricade the CHP building.
“Disregarding court rulings, trying to pour people out onto the streets is openly challenging the law. Nobody is above the law. The state will do what is necessary against any illegal initiative with determination,” Yerlikaya stated on X.
Turkey is facing massive protests after a court removed the local leadership of the main opposition party CHP’s Istanbul unit. The Turkish police fired pepper spray to deter the protesters. Watch out for more. pic.twitter.com/IQDikc9tuR
— Shogri (@shogri786) September 8, 2025
But the opposition party has remained openly defiant, worried that if it is silenced, this could be a final death knell and the start of essentially one-party rule and final total victory for AKP:
Speaking at a CHP event in Istanbul, party chairperson Özgur Özel called on Turks to gather and demonstrate against the court decision and the crackdown against his party, as well as the police measures to set up barricades around the headquarters and restrict public access to it.
“From here, I invite all democrats and CHP members whom my words and voice reach to, to protect the home of Atatürk in Istanbul,” he said, referring to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, modern Türkiye’s founder.
Erdogan resorts to the usual social media censuring, outright banning several popular platforms:
⚠️ Confirmed: Live metrics show online platforms including X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp have been restricted in #Turkey on multiple networks; the incident comes as main opposition party CHP calls for rallies after police blockade its Istanbul headquarters pic.twitter.com/ECVjvWlvzL
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) September 7, 2025
The opposition leaders do have reason to fear, especially after the major escalation of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s arrest. The prominent opposition figure could be a potential presidential contender against President Erdogan, but he was detained on March 19.
CHP sources have denounced the ‘political coup’…
Our Istanbul Headquarters is under siege!
We will never hand over the Republican People’s Party, our nation’s last hope, to coup plotters. Here we remain, united, resisting, and defending our home, our future, and our democracy! pic.twitter.com/JATWsrf1ev
— CHP Youth (@CHPYouth) September 7, 2025
What ensued was a massive crackdown, with authorities arresting CHP mayors, officials, and politicians on various charges including bribery, which may be trumped-up.
Additionally, some 2,000 demonstrators have been arrested, and there’s expected to be more protest action to come centered at the CHP Istanbul headquarters.
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