- Demonstrations broke out after the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul Imamoglu.
- The demonstrations remained peaceful, but more than 2,000 people owned.
- Drone images have captured clashes between the demonstrators, the security forces.
A new generation of young Turks is at the forefront of mass demonstrations against the government of President Tayyip Erdogan, demanding a change in a country they consider more and more authoritarian.
Demonstrations broke out after the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, a popular opposition figure, was imprisoned pending accusations of corruption. Unlike older generations who remember the strong repression against the anti -government demonstrations of Gezi Park 2013, young demonstrators today say that they are not discouraged by the risks.
“I think that growing up under a single regime made of us a generation in search of change, looking for proof that we live in a democracy,” said Yezan Atesyan, a 20-year-old student at the technical university of the Middle East (Metu).
“The idea of a power that lasts us forever scares us.”
Hundreds of thousands of Turks on a national scale have taken into account the opposition calls to protest since the detention of Imamoglu last week.
The demonstrations were mainly peaceful, but more than 2,000 people were detained.
The main republican opposition people party (CHP), other opposition parties, rights defending rights and certain Western powers have all declared that the case against Imamoglu is a politicized effort to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdogan.
The government denies any influence on the judiciary and says that the courts are independent.
Students from all Turkey mobilized, faced with police blockade and water guns. Metu drone images have captured the clashes between the demonstrators and the state security forces.
A generation on the edge
Beyond political frustration, economic difficulties have fueled disorders. High inflation and unemployment have made young people feel that their future is moving away.
“I obtained my diploma in 2024, but I could not find any job, and my family has a hard time financially,” said the 25 -year -old Duygu demonstrator during an opposition rally in Istanbul.
She fears for her security but also worries about her friends. “Some of them have already been detained.”
The concerns concerning the state response increase. “I don’t want to show my face because the police could come for me,” said Duygu, who has a mask during demonstrations. “If that happens, it would devastate my family.”
Despite the risks, the demonstrators remain resolved.
“It looks like our last chance,” said Atesyan.
“If we do not succeed, many of us will have to leave Turkey.”
The government rejects demonstrations as politically motivated, but young people focused on a growing gap.
“The Imamoglu represents hope,” said Atesyan. “The possibility of a real change.”
While the demonstrations continue, the young Turks insist that their requests are simple: democracy, responsibility and a future that deserves to have remained.
