Sawt Falasteen - Thousands defy Erdogan warning to march in Istanbul

It was the third night in a row of demonstrations backing Ekrem Imamoglu -- Erdogan's chief political rival -- who was arrested on Wednesday, just days before he is expected to be formally named as a candidate in the country's 2028 presidential election.

Protests over Imamoglu's arrest began in Istanbul on Wednesday and quickly spread to at least 32 of Turkey's 81 provinces, according to an AFP count.

Turkey's main opposition party CHP, which intends to make Imamoglu its presidential candidate, has described his arrest as a "coup".

Its leader, Ozgur Ozel, called for the third nightly protest in Istanbul and across Turkey. At least 10,000 people responded in Istanbul late Friday, marching towards the City Hall, AFP journalists said.

"Don't be silent, otherwise they'll come for you!" protesters yelled. Many held aloft placards with slogans such as "Don't be afraid, the people are here" and "Rights, law, justice".

Earlier, Erodogan warned that "Turkey will not surrender to street terror".

"Let me say it loud and clear: the street protests that the CHP leader has called for are a dead end," Erdogan warned. His government has termed the protests "unlawful".

Istanbul's governor closed off the main access routes to the peninsula where the City Hall is located -- including Galata Bridge and Ataturk Bridge and main roads.

Authorities also extended the protest ban to the capital Ankara and the western coastal city of Izmir.

On Thursday, police fired rubber bullets and teargas as they scuffled with students holding demonstrations in Istanbul and Ankara, AFP correspondents said.

So far, at least 88 protesters have been arrested, Turkish media said, with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya saying 16 police officers had been hurt.

Police had also detained another 54 people for online posts authorities deemed "incitement to hatred", he said.

- 'Opposition drama' -

In a speech on Friday, Erdogan accused the opposition leader of "grave irresponsibility" after Ozel on Thursday vowed the protests would continue.

The pro-Kurdish opposition DEM party also said it would join Friday's Istanbul rally.

Officials said Imamoglu and six others were under investigation for "aiding a terrorist organisation" -- namely the banned Kurdish PKK militant group.

He is also under scrutiny in a graft probe involving about 100 other suspects.

Investigators reportedly began questioning Imamoglu on Friday, local media reported, saying all of the suspects were due in court on Sunday morning.

- Primary -

Despite Imamoglu's detention, the CHP vowed it would press ahead with its primary on Sunday at which it would formally nominate him as its candidate for the 2028 race.

The party said it would open the process to anyone who wanted to vote, not just party members, saying: "Come to the ballot box and say 'no' to the coup attempt!"

Observers said the government could seek to block the primary to prevent a further show of support for Imamgolu.

"If a large number of people show up and vote for Imamoglu, it will further legitimise him domestically," Gonul Tol, head of the Turkish studies programme at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, told AFP.

"It could really move things in a direction that Erdogan doesn't want."

Restrictions on social media and internet access that had been in place since Imamoglu's arrest were lifted early Friday, said internet access monitor EngelliWeb.

The move against Imamoglu has dealt a heavy blow to the Turkish lira, and on Friday the BIST 100 stock exchange was trading lower, shedding nearly eight percent just before 1400 GMT.

K.Hassan--SF-PST