The Turkish Interior Ministry also removed the mayor of Istanbul from office after his arrest.
Protest rallies were held by the opposition party in fifty-six cities, including Ankara and Istanbul. The government declared the decision a coup, and thousands of people participated in the demonstration in Istanbul against the arrest and dismissal of the mayor.
Police fired water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters, the protesters used water spray and fireworks as weapons, and dozens of people were detained for violent demonstrations.