Trabzon: Imamoglu supporter stabbed, demonstrators arrested

The incident in the district of Ortahisar, near a gazebo set up by the Republican People's Party. The opposition relaunches the campaign for the economic boycott of pro-government companies and organisations. Ankara responds with new arrests, targeting personalities from the entertainment world. Young people are at the forefront of the protest, for the freedoms and the (economic) future of the nation.

Istanbul (AsiaNews) - The internal clash in Turkey triggered by the arrest on 19 March of the mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu - the main rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - which unleashed street protests condemned by the authorities, is taking a violent turn: yesterday, in fact, a supporter of the mayor of the country's economic and commercial capital was stabbed during an attack on an opposition election stand in the northern province of Trabzon. Meanwhile, the wave of repression by the government continues in order to contain the street protests, led by young people and university students, and has led to the arrest of actors and celebrities ‘guilty’ of having supported and promoted the economic and commercial boycott campaign.

The incident took place at around 2.30pm local time in the district of Ortahisar, where the Republican People's Party (CHP) had set up a stand as part of a national petition calling for the release of Imamoglu from prison. Haluk Batmaz, the Chp leader in the district where the attack took place, reports that a member of the party's youth section was attacked with a knife by a man. ‘This was a brutal attack on our demand for freedom’, emphasised Batmaz, who then added that ‘there was no police officer on the spot’.

Mustafa Bak, provincial leader of the CHP in Trabzon, confirmed the stabbing, adding that the victim was wounded in the leg. The stand was part of a wider campaign launched by the party under the slogan ‘Freedom for Ekrem Imamoglu’ in the days following the confirmation of the arrest, which has received considerable popular support. Furthermore, the attack on the opposition's gazebo comes in a context of increased political tension and continuous demonstrations throughout the country, with students and opposition groups demonstrating against what they describe as a widespread government crackdown on dissent.

Meanwhile, in the last few hours, the Turkish police have arrested at least 11 people (out of a total of 16 arrest warrants), because they allegedly renewed the calls for a boycott of shopping for one day, organised by the opposition on 2nd April. The shutdown announced last weekend by the national CHP leader Ozgur Ozel was observed by several cafés, restaurants and bars in the capital, Ankara, and in Istanbul, which remained closed all day. The work stoppage is part of a wider boycott of companies and brands linked in various ways to the government and President Erdogan, which the executive and the ruling leadership see as a movement of ‘hatred and discrimination’ that fuels ‘hostility’ in the country.

Among those arrested for supporting the protest is Turkish actor Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu, one of the protagonists of the Netflix series ‘Rise of Empires: Ottoman’. Behind the arrest are posts and appeals relaunched on social media inviting citizens not to spend money on 2 April, thus joining the boycott campaign. A protest defined as a ‘threat’ to the economic stability of the country by the Minister for Trade Omer Bolat, who accuses the promoters of wanting to attack the government and put the economic stability of the country at risk. Among the well-known supporters of the government, on the other hand, is the former German and Real Madrid star of Turkish origin, Mesut Ozil, who has joined the hashtag #BoykotDegilMilliZar [‘Not a boycott, but national damage’, ed.].

Meanwhile, analysts and experts emphasise the importance of the youth wing in the protest, which brings to the forefront of the news a ‘new generation’ of citizens who are now on the front line against Erdogan and the authoritarian nature of his power. Unlike older generations who remember the heavy repression of the anti-government protests in Gezi Park in 2013, today's young demonstrators say they are not deterred by the risks. ‘I believe that having grown up under one regime makes us a generation in search of change, in search of proof that we live in a democracy,’ said Yezan Atesyan, a 20-year-old student at Middle East Technical University (METU). “The idea,” he added in an interview with Reuters, ’of a power that lasts forever scares us.’

Hundreds of thousands of Turks throughout the country have responded to the opposition's calls to protest, in a context of mostly peaceful demonstrations that have led to the arrest of over 2,000 people. In addition to the political issue - linked to the issue of rights - economic difficulties are also fuelling discontent, including high inflation and unemployment, which particularly affect young people who see their future compromised. ‘I graduated in 2024, but I can't find a job and my family is having financial difficulties,’ said 25-year-old Duygu during an opposition demonstration in Istanbul. She fears for her safety but also for her friends. ’Some of them have already been arrested.’ Despite the risks, the demonstrators remain resolute. ‘This seems to be our last chance,’ emphasised Atesyan. ‘If we don't succeed, many of us will have to leave Turkey. Imamoglu represents hope,’ he concluded, ‘and the possibility of real change.’