Foreign hello, and welcome to NewsHour LIVE from the BBC World Service in London.
I'm Rebecca Kesby.
There are dramatic scenes in central Istanbul tonight as thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets for a fourth day running following the arrest of the city's mayor,
Ekram Imam Olu Lu.
He's one of a number of opposition figures who've been arrested recently.
Mr.
Imam Olu was is the from the secular Republican People's Party, the chp.
He's been accused of corruption and abetting a terrorist group.
He says the accusations are politically motivated, baseless and immoral,
and he had been due to announce his intention to stand for the presidential race just
as he was arrested on Wednesday.
There have been demonstrations across the country.
More than 300 people were arrested last night,
and the police have been using tear gas on the streets tonight.
Speaking during an event to break the day's Ramadan fast in Istanbul,
the president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the opposition of resorting to street terror.
I would like to remind you once.
Again that the days of taking to.
The streets and wagging the finger at the national will while taking leftist organizations,
marginalized groups and vandals with you are long gone.