The incarceration of Istanbul’s opposition Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has led to Turkiye’s most significant street unrest in years.

Following a predawn operation involving numerous police officers, Imamoglu was relieved of his mayoral responsibilities on Sunday and taken to Silivri Prison near Istanbul.

This action came in response to a court order accusing Imamoglu of corruption. Despite a separate “terrorism” inquiry, no formal arrest was made in that case. The Interior Ministry stated his removal as the mayor of Turkiye’s largest city.

Government officials have dismissed claims that the legal proceedings against Imamoglu are politically motivated, asserting the independence of Turkiye’s judicial system.

However, amid the protests, authorities called for the closure of hundreds of social media accounts.

Over 700 accounts on X, including those of “news organizations, journalists, political figures, students, and others within Turkiye,” were targeted, as stated by X.

Branding the government’s action as “unlawful,” X pledged to fight for free speech through legal means.

Nonetheless, several accounts, some of which were involved in organizing the protests, have been suspended by the US firm.

The crackdown has fueled widespread anger among citizens, many of whom had backed Imamoglu in previous elections.

Riot police used rubber bullets and pepper spray against protesters in Istanbul, while those in Ankara faced water cannons.

Despite a ban on protests in Turkiye’s three largest cities and a stern warning from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan against “street terror,” the unrest has rapidly spread, highlighting growing tensions in the country.