CHP will hold a rally in Beyoğlu: How many rallies have been held so far?

Following the detention and arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the CHP began holding rallies to "stand up for the nation's will." These rallies have been ongoing since March. Today (August 27), the CHP will hold the 50th of these rallies in Beyoğlu.

Compiled by: Rüveyda Durgut

The CHP will hold a rally in Şişhane Square in front of the Beyoğlu Municipality today (August 27). CHP Chairman Özgür Özel shared the following about the rally on social media: "We are gathering in Beyoğlu for our 50th protest for justice, equality, and freedom. We will be in the squares until Ekrem İmamoğlu and all our imprisoned comrades are free, until the ballot box arrives. We will win, justice will win, our nation will win."

Following Ekrem İmamoğlu's detention on March 19, back-to-back rallies were held in Saraçhane. The CHP subsequently continued to hold rallies in a different Istanbul district every Wednesday under the slogan "The Nation Stands Up to Its Will." The CHP also continues to hold city rallies.

Istanbulites gathered at the Maltepe rally on March 29 to protest Ekrem İmamoğlu's detention at Marmara Prison in Silivri. Hundreds of thousands filled the square, chanting slogans such as "Rights, law, justice" and "Government, resign."

According to a statement by CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, 2.2 million people attended the rally. Numerous political parties, including the TİP, DEM Party, TKP, Homeland Party, and EMEP, supported the rally.

The mayors of Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bursa, Denizli, Eskişehir, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Deputy Mayors, İzmir, Manisa, Mersin, Muğla and Tekirdağ Metropolitan Municipalities, and the mayors of Sinop, Yalova, Zonguldak, Uşak, Çanakkale, Kütahya, Edirne, Ardahan, Bolu and Bilecik provinces attended the rally.

The first of the CHP's rallies, which will be held every Wednesday in a different district of Istanbul, was held in Şişli. Özel said, "Erdoğan remains silent against Trump. Why can't you say, 'Hey Trump'? With this attitude, Erdoğan is both a junta and a mandate proponent."

CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Özgür Çelik read the letters of Ekrem İmamoğlu and Resul Emrah Şahan, who are detained in the Marmara Prison in Silivri.

Özel criticized the "urban reconciliation" operations and targeted the government's "Turkey without terrorism" slogan, saying, "Can there be a solution with this hypocrisy? If the CHP can solve this problem, it will."

The special continued:

There are these individuals Erdoğan has appointed. In Türkiye, a tradition stemming from the parliamentary system calls them "ministers." However, a minister is an elected official who handles the nation's affairs. Someone appointed by a decree from Erdoğan's fountain pen is neither a minister nor anything else. At best, they would be like the ministers appointed by Trump in the United States; they are called "secretaries." You are also secretaries. From now on, we will treat the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and other Erdoğan appointees as secretaries.

Özel also announced that a rally will be held in Beylikdüzü next Wednesday.

Samsun was the first city stop for the CHP's "National Will Stands Up" rallies. Özgür Özel targeted Erdoğan in his speech, saying, "The palace is the headquarters of the junta."

Özel also said that the signature campaign had surpassed 10 million.

Beylikdüzü became the new address for CHP's "National Will Stands Up" rallies.

Özel emphasized that no matter what, they would not leave the squares until the mayors were released. Özel also criticized the police's visit to Ekrem İmamoğlu's father's summer house.

The CHP leader reminded everyone that young people are still in prison. Addressing Yusuf Tekin, Özel said, “I haven't seen a young person wielding an axe. But as this country's Minister of National Education, I see someone incompetent and incompetent. A little shame and arrogance is in order. You're going to imprison Türkiye's most successful children, then slander them for wielding an axe. They don't have an axe, but the Ministry of National Education has a pickaxe, a pickaxe.”

Özel also criticized the appointment of teachers at project schools, saying, "These schools have a tradition. They attack each one, taking over 6,000 modern, qualified teachers, and replacing them with union members and loyal supporters of the government. We stand in solidarity with our teachers, our youth, and our graduates."

The CHP's "Standing Up to the Nation's Will" rallies continued in Yozgat. CHP Chairman Özgür Özel arrived at the rally site by tractor.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel addressed the citizens waiting for him in Yozgat. "We are challenging you from Yozgat," Özel began his remarks, saying, "A stereotype has been broken. They used to say, 'Yozgat won't react, Yozgat won't protest.' Yozgat has broken that stereotype. They took Yozgat for granted."

Özel said that they held one of the most crowded rallies in Yozgat's history.

Özel, speaking about the farmers fined for supporting İmamoğlu, said, "I've seen that some people are looking down on us with arrogance, viewing the villagers of Yozgat as if they were ants, and are trying to crush them. I'm warning the government from here: We won't let you crush those farmers, who are as hardworking as ants. The ant has a brother, and that's the Republican People's Party."

Özel, emphasizing that the AKP has “never put a stone on the ground” in Yozgat for years, explained that there are major health problems in the city, saying , “Three deputies devoured Yozgat, and Yozgat is leaving them behind.”

The CHP held a rally in Ankara on April 23rd, National Sovereignty and Children's Day. CHP members wanted to march from the First Parliament to Anıtkabir on April 23rd. Although the Ankara Governor's Office banned the march, the crowd gathered at the urging of CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, tearing down police barricades and beginning the march.

Mersin was the address of the CHP's "National Will Defends" rallies on April 26.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, noting that Mersin held one of its largest rallies in history, said, “We came to Mersin today not to rally, but to take action and achieve results. Just as before 2019, Mersin was plagued by profiteering, fighting, and the mafia, Vahap Seçer came and brought peace, service, and tranquility. Somehow, after the next elections, the AK Party will leave, the CHP will come, and peace and tranquility will return to Türkiye. The person who will bring that peace is Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is watching us from his tiny cell today.”

While he was speaking privately, citizens chanted slogans such as “Rights, law, justice” and “Tayyip resign.”

Özel, who said, "This nation forgives everything, but will not forgive those who take away its will," continued, "The nation is counting the days for a change of government, or rather, is patiently waiting. Just as President Vahap opened his doors to you, we too will open our doors to everyone when we come to power."

Özel, reiterating his call for early elections, said , "The nation is calling on Mr. Tayyip to resign. Resignation is a virtue, but if you are not going to do it, if you are confident in yourself, then you will bring the ballot box and the people will decide. Are you ready? Come on, let's challenge you."

The CHP's "Standing Up for the National Will" rallies continued in Başakşehir, Istanbul, on April 30. Özgür Özel challenged Erdoğan to a duel at a rally along the Kanal Istanbul route, saying, "If you're confident, put the ballot box in front of the people of Istanbul."

The next CHP rally was in Konya. Speaking at Kılıçarslan City Square, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel said, "The Saraçhane victim has become the oppressor. Hey Erdoğan, leave my candidate alone and bring the ballot box."

The CHP's "Standing Up for the Nation's Will" rallies continued in Beyazıt Square. Özgür Özel announced that the number of signatures collected for Ekrem İmamoğlu had reached 14.8 million.

The CHP's stop on May 10th was Van. Citizens gathered in the Van square to welcome Özel with banners reading, "What is a trustee doing in Van?", "Özgür Özel is our honor", "Either the will of the people or the shadow of the palace", "Democracy cannot be captured", and "Ahmet Özer is not alone."

Recalling the trustees previously appointed to Van, Özel explained that the Van Governor's Office had threatened citizens to avoid attending a CHP rally. He said, "This nationless, Kurdish-hostile group has appointed a trustee to Van Metropolitan Municipality for the third time and imposed the governor's role as trustee. I have a word to say about the governor's politics: Governor, know your duty and stay where you are. We have never and will never allow any opposition to the will of the people, any resistance, or unjust arrests."

The CHP held a rally in Silivri on May 14. Speaking in Silivri's Atatürk Square, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel said, "No one should make plans to forget President Ekrem. Whatever happens, those ballot boxes will come, and those calculations will be thwarted."

The CHP's "Standing Up for the Nation's Will" rallies were held in Izmir on May 19th. The rally, which began at 7:19 PM and commemorated May 19, 1919, featured CHP Chairman Özgür Özel addressing the problems faced by young people and the operation targeting the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Özel declared, "We are raising the flag of democracy against the minority government."

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel addressed the public in Pendik on May 21st. Özel declared, "We're starting with Pendik." Noting that Pendik is Istanbul's third-largest municipality and that the AKP has considered it its stronghold for years, Özel once again emphasized that the "era of castles" is over:

Pendik is the fortress of the people, not the AKP or anyone else! In the last elections, we presented Tarık Balyalı, a man who knows Pendik and believes he will solve its problems. We received the highest number of votes in our history, reaching 43 percent, but it didn't work out. But let all the people of Pendik, all the voters of Pendik, know this: We don't come from a mindset that resents the district we couldn't win, unlike some who do. We come from a mindset that seeks fault within itself and strives to make amends for the future. We come from the tradition of İsmet Pasha, who considered his lost election a gain for the country's democracy.

While Özel was speaking, slogans such as “This is just the beginning, continue the struggle”, “Government resign”, and “Shoulder to shoulder against fascism” were chanted.

Bursa was the location for the CHP's "Standing Up to the Nation's Will" rallies on May 25th. Özel addressed Erdoğan, saying, "Those I vouched for are in the square today with their heads held high and their foreheads clean. Zekeriya Öz, whom you vouched for, fled to America like a rat."

The CHP's rally location on May 28th was Esenler. Speaking in Esenler, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel stated that none of the allegations made after the March 19th operations had been proven and reiterated his call for the trial to be held on TRT. Özel said, "Erdoğan was a victim yesterday, but today he is a tyrant."

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel addressed the crowd from Düzce on May 31st. Citizens gathered in Anıtpark Square and welcomed him with banners reading "Freedom for İmamoğlu," "They fear my comrade Ekrem like a bogeyman," "Rescind the massacre law," "I love Ekrem," "Justice, law, justice," "Everything will be fine," and "Justice at the ballot box."

Özel, describing the provincial and district rallies in Saraçhane following the March 19 operations, said, "Düzce called us so wholeheartedly that we couldn't help but come here, meet your eyes, and raise this objection from here. They said, 'Don't go, it's the AKP's stronghold.' They didn't know the people of Düzce. That old politics, those polarizations, are behind us. Those strongholds are behind us; Düzce is no longer the AKP's stronghold, nor anyone else's, but simply the people's."

Citizens chanted slogans saying "Rights, law, justice."

Addressing AKP citizens in Düzce, Özel said, "No one should worry about being an AKP member, voting for someone in the past, or getting a job during his term. Our concern is not with those who commit injustice, nor with the good people of our nation."

Speaking about the cancellation of İmamoğlu's diploma 30 years ago, Özel led the citizens in the square to chant "Erdoğan without a diploma."

Antalya was the next destination for the CHP's "Standing Up to the Nation's Will" rallies. Ekrem İmamoğlu's message was also read at the rally. Özel shared the words a Yörük (nomadic) elder had told him: "No tyrant can extinguish the Shepherd's Star. May it stand tall like the Taurus Mountains, Ekrem."

The CHP's "Standing Up for the Nation's Will" rallies were held in Gaziosmanpaşa, Istanbul, on June 4. Özgür Özel strongly condemned the arrest of Gaziosmanpaşa Mayor Hakan Bahçetepe.

The CHP's "Standing Up to the Will of the Nation" rallies continued in Bayburt. Özgür Özel held the first rally following the death of Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek. Özel commemorated Zeyrek at this rally.

The CHP held a rally in Avcılar on June 18th. Özgür Özel responded to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statement, "We believe Mr. Özel and the CHP leadership should stop insisting on wrongdoing and instead utilize effective repentance. It's long past time for this. We find it shameful for our country that the main opposition party of a great country like Turkey has been preoccupied for months with a debate about who will spit in whose face."

Özel responded to Erdoğan through Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek as follows:

"He's telling me, 'Take advantage of effective repentance.' I don't regret the day I met Utku or my 11 other mayors, nor do I regret the day I appointed them. I'll vouch for you until the end. But you regret the day you met the chief prosecutor you appointed to Istanbul, who violated the Constitution, the day you appointed him, and even the day you trusted him. Because trying to achieve results through slander, slander, and smear is cowardice. We are in the square, we are against you; let's fight. But there can be no justice with secret witnesses, false witnesses, and the slander you call 'confessions,' and blackmailing people."

Tekirdağ was the location for the CHP's "Standing Up to the Nation's Will" rallies on June 22nd. Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is imprisoned in Silivri, described the events following March 19th as a "coup" in his message. Özel announced that Tekirdağ paid 75 billion lira in taxes and received 17 billion lira in services.

The next CHP rally for "The Nation Stands Up for Its Will" was in Büyükçekmece. Özel, in his speech, denied the accusations against the imprisoned mayors.

The CHP held a rally in Saraçhane on the 100th day of the March 19 operations, which saw the detention of numerous politicians, including Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Özel addressed Erdoğan, saying, "You will be defeated by a single İmamoğlu passport photo. You will go, and he will become president."

Özel, reminding that Erdoğan was also tried without detention in the past and was not imprisoned until his sentence was finalized, said, “Erdoğan, who was president here in the past, was also accused of terrorism and corruption. I would like to remind you, with the testimony of all those who support the nationalist view, that one day, the police did not knock on his door in the morning, while his wife and child were present. He was not detained for a day, tried without detention, sentenced, and yet again, he was not arrested. He went to the Supreme Court, it was upheld, and yet again, the police did not knock on his door. He left this door and addressed the people in this square. He went to prison with a bang. Not once were slanderous accusations about his family broadcast on TRT. Everything that was not done to him, he does to his opponent.”

The CHP held a rally in Amasya on July 5th. Özgür Özel called for an early election at the rally, saying, "Let me tell Erdoğan. Even if you get angry, even if you get mad, even if you get angry, the people's will will prevail. You will go, and Ekrem İmamoğlu will come."

The CHP held a rally in Sancaktepe on July 9. CHP Chairman Özgür Özel criticized Erdoğan at the Sancaktepe rally, saying, “Erdoğan, if the thief is going to be in Iraq, you need to be out of this country.”

Özel offered his condolences to the 12 martyrs who lost their lives to methane gas and promised to thoroughly investigate the incident. He said, "While measuring devices should have been there long ago, and our children should have had gas masks and oxygen tanks, some of these were neglected, precautions weren't taken, and I can't accept the fact that we lost 12 lion pieces for nothing. We absolutely cannot accept this gross negligence, especially when a methane gas detector costs only 1,100 lira."

The CHP held its "Standing Up to the Will of the Nation" rally in Adana on July 10. CHP leader Özgür Özel also said of the arrested Zeydan Karalar, "Look, President Zeydan's wife, Nuray Hanım, has been working for 32 years at a state school in Adana, on a salary. Did this woman's husband commit corruption?"

Malatya was the location for the CHP's "Standing Up to the Will of the Nation" rallies on July 12. Özel responded to Erdoğan's statement, "As the People's Alliance, we will carry this process into the future by working with the DEM delegation," by saying, "Those who imprisoned our leaders made a deal with the head of the terrorist organization."

Özel harshly criticized the government's economic policies at a rally held in Istanbul's Kartal district on July 16. Özel stated that the economic losses experienced were assets stolen directly from the public.

Özel said, "They caused this country to experience the disaster of a century and a half. Both with an earthquake and with economic devastation." Özel stated that a full 86,000 Turkish Lira was taken from the pockets of everyone in the square and the citizens watching television on March 19th, adding, "Ten quarter-gold coins were stolen from all of your pockets."

Özel targeted National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin. Referring to the LGS exam results, which yielded over 700 top marks, Özel recalled Tekin first saying, "I explained it like I was explaining it to an idiot," then later adding, "The stench is coming from CHP-run municipalities." Özel now acknowledged that the questions were distributed before the exam was over, adding, "But he's still hurling insults with his arrogance."

"Let this be Kartal's word. Yusuf Tekin, that supreme court will be established. You too will be tried!" Özel said, adding, "You stole the sweat of children's fathers. But you will be held accountable for stealing children's futures. We are coming to power with a bang."

The CHP held a rally in Trabzon on July 19. Referring to the prosecutor who allegedly had a White Toros on his desk, CHP leader Özgür Özel said, "White Toros have been replaced by AK Toros. We have not surrendered to the White Toros, and we will not surrender to AK Toros . "

Bakırköy was the 39th address of the CHP's "National Will Stands Up to Its Will" rally.

Özel visited İmamoğlu, who is imprisoned at Marmara Prison in Silivri, in the morning. He then traveled to Edirne and attended the funeral of Muharrem Aygun, the father of Tekirdağ Deputy İlhami Özcan Aygun.

Responding to Erdoğan's remarks against the CHP at the Police Academy graduation ceremony, Özel brought up the Manavgat Municipality operation. Özel asked, "Did they catch that baklava seller with the bootleg liquor a month before the incident and let him go without any legal action?"

Özel, who said, “You orchestrated a conspiracy in that baklava business to bring the Manavgat Municipality under the CHP, you were caught red-handed,” added, “Despite all the threats from the AK Party, the palace’s games, the palace’s prosecutor, and all sorts of conspiracies, the Republican People’s Party is standing tall.”

Şile was another location for the CHP's "Standing Up for the National Will" rallies. Özel criticized the arrest of Şile Mayor Özgür Kabadayı, noting that 580 million lira worth of irregularities had been identified in 30 files from previous municipalities. Özel said, "A handful of coup plotters set their sights on the will of the nation. We stand behind those we elected."

Aksaray was the location for the CHP's "Standing Up to the Nation's Will" rallies on August 1st. Özel reacted to the release of footage of 25 people detained in operations targeting the IETT and ISFALT being taken to the courthouse in a single file line, saying, "I swear we will disband the Ak Toros gang."

The CHP's "Standing Up to the Nation's Will" rallies continued in Tuzla. Özel alleged that the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality case was a bribery and testimony exchange.

Özel alleged that a lawyer named MY, in cahoots with prosecutors, took money from the families of detainees. The CHP leader claimed that this lawyer visited the detainees and said, "The prosecutor sent me, I will be their lawyer."

Özel, who claimed the lawyer visited companies and threatened businesspeople, claimed that families of detainees withdrew money from banks and took it to the lawyer. "The date is clear, the time is clear, the receipt is clear, and the camera footage is there," said the CHP leader, emphasizing that they have concrete evidence.

The CHP's "Standing Up to the Nation's Will" rallies continued in Tokat. Özgür Özel reacted to the exile of the judges who prepared the indictment in the İzmir investigation in 10 days.

Addressing Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, Özel said, "While the nation expects justice from you, you remain silent about the exile of judges who prepared the indictment in Izmir in 10 days and declared, 'Trial without detention is essential,' and then you turn around and remain silent about the gang of lawyers and prosecutors who demand money from the nation. One day, you will all be held accountable for this."

Bayrampaşa was the location for the CHP's "Standing Up for the National Will" rallies on August 13th. Özel addressed Erdoğan, saying, "Wait until 12:00 tomorrow. AK Party, your anniversary gift is coming. Mr. Tayyip, you say, 'Put the biggest radish in your bag,' but I won't keep it in my bag. Wait until 12:00 tomorrow."

The CHP held its 46th "Standing Up for the National Will" rally in Kırşehir. Özel said, "While you could have gone down in history as someone who held power for years, to go down in history as a putschist, to go down in defiance with the nation, to end your political life as the leader of a coup, this is the outcome. The square is crying out, 'Resign, resign!'"

Reminding that they won Kırşehir in the 2019 Local Elections after 47 years, Özel said, “Some people could not show the patience and belief in democracy that we showed for 47 years, even for 47 days.”

Criticizing the government, Özel said, "Because they saw democracy as a train or a tram, to be boarded and disembarked when they pleased. And they attempted a coup against the person elected by the people, Ekrem İmamoğlu, whose letter you just listened to, who has won Istanbul three times in a row, and who, if you will, will be the next president of Türkiye."

Aydın was the location for the CHP's "Standing Up to the National Will" rallies on August 18th. Özel focused his speech on Aydın Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu's departure from the CHP to join the AK Party, and called on the government to hold "re-elections" in Aydın, saying, "Come on, let's re-election the Aydın elections."

The CHP held a rally in Üsküdar on August 20. Speaking at Üsküdar Coastal Square, the CHP Chairman addressed the judicial aspect of the March 19 process, saying, "When the indictment is ready, we will hold all slanderers accountable."

The CHP held its last rally in Sivas on August 22. Özgür Özel spoke about the arrest of Beyoğlu Mayor İnan Güney, the early elections, and the economy.

He asked the private square, “Does Recep Tayyip Erdoğan love you?” and he gave the answer as follows:

"He doesn't like you, my friend, because you're poor. Erdoğan doesn't like the poor, he loves the rich. Now, when we say 'we're poor,' a couple of nitpickers from the AKP come out and say, 'He's insulting the nation, calling us poor.' The poverty line in Türkiye is 86,000 lira. Anyone earning more than 86,000 lira in this square should raise their hands, I'll have them applaud. There's no one in this square who earns more than 86,000 lira. Tayyip Erdoğan impoverished these people. Anyone working below the poverty line is called poor, they're called poor. This government has brought us to this point. I swear to God that the AKP's rule is ending, you're leaving. The era of the sons of ministers is ending, the era of the sons of the nation is beginning."