section_path: Protests/19 March
section_name: 19 March
paragraph_text: 19 March
  
  CHP leader Özgür Özel characterized the detention as "a coup against our next president" and urged opposition groups to unify. Within hours of the mayor's detention, a hundred demonstrators assembled near Istanbul 's central police headquarters, where İmamoğlu had been transported. Protesters expressed support for the mayor while chanting anti-government and anti-Erdoğan slogans. Demonstrators characterized the detention as an attack on democratic processes and institutions, with some describing it as "a coup against İmamoğlu", emphasizing that İmamoğlu had "beat Erdoğan four times at the ballot box" through legitimate democratic processes. Protesters expressed their belief the detention would strengthen public support for İmamoğlu, with many anticipating the arrest and vowing to continue demonstrations until the decision was reversed. Municipal workers participated in the demonstrations. Tens of thousands of protesters gathered around the municipal offices of Istanbul, with Özel urging them to continue support for İmamoğlu while referring to him as "future president of Turkey". Dilek İmamoğlu, Ekrem İmamoğlu's wife, urged supporters to "raise their voices", stating that: "The day the government decides its opponents is the day democracy dies."
  
  The Istanbul Governor's Office responded by prohibiting public gatherings in the city, deploying security forces to establish barricades around the police facility. Riot police units and water cannon vehicles were positioned to block roads leading to the headquarters. Despite this, thousands of protesters demonstrated outside city hall, with many shouting slogans such as "Imamoglu, you are not alone!" and "Erdogan, dictator!". Clashes between police and protesters were recorded by witnesses, including an instance of police using pepper spray on a crowd protesting outside Istanbul University. Police barricaded and blocked roads that led to the Vatan Security Department, where İmamoğlu was detained. Banners with Ekrem İmamoğlu's pictures and a quote by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: "Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation", were unfurled in front of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building.
  
  Hundreds of protesters in Ankara gathered around the headquarters of the CHP to protest along with CHP lawmakers. CHP representatives attempted to impede the legal proceedings in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, before marching out in protest. Middle East Technical University (METU) students marched on campus demanding the resignation of the government. Afterwards many attempted to move to Kızılay, but were stopped by barricades and police on Eskişehir Road, who pepper sprayed them. Mayor of Ankara Mansur Yavaş stated that he would travel to Istanbul to provide support for İmamoğlu and the tens of thousands of protesters. Significant demonstrations were reported in Adana, Trabzon, and İzmir. In Dublin, Ireland, the group Democratic Türkiye Community in Ireland began demonstrations against İmamoğlu's arrest.