Was the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu the straw that broke the camel's back? This weekend, mass protests in Turkey saw millions show their anger against the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"We're fighting not just for Ekrem, but for Turkey," said Dilek Imamoglu, wife of the imprisoned opposition politician, with tears in her eyes.

"We must give each other strength, we are a large family of 86 million people. Justice cannot be imprisoned."

Economic situation unbearable

One elderly protester spoke out about the economic crisis. "People from different social classes are taking to the streets. An important reason is also the empty pot on the kitchen stove," said the man.

The economic situation has become unbearable for many throughout Turkey. The country has been experiencing an economic crisis for several years now, with people suffering from rising inflation and high rents.

According to the TUIK statistics institute, the annual inflation rate stood at 42% in January. Added to that is a depreciation of the Turkish lira, which means many elderly people can no longer afford the apartments they live in.

Nearly 2,000 arrests

Saturday's rally was called by the opposition party Republican People's Party (CHP), of which Imamoglu is a member. Demonstrators accused Erdogan of trying to politically eliminate Imamoglu through the judiciary.

Since the start of protests following Imamoglu's detention on March 23, a total of 1,900 people have been arrested according to the Turkish Interior Ministry — mostly students. Journalists have also been detained, including Swedish reporter Kaj Joakim Medin from the daily newspaper Dagens ETC, who wanted to report on the protests in Istanbul. Earlier, BBC correspondent Mark Lowen was also been detained. 

"This fight is for Turkey," said CHP leader Ozgur Ozel at the rally, which he said drew more than 2 million people. Turkish President Erdogan, however, described the protesters as "marginal groups."

'Our future is being taken away'

Despite the end of Ramadan, people flocked to protest. "I am 85 years old and have never experienced such oppression," one woman told DW. "I'm here for the republic, for Ataturk, for the peace of the people, for improving our times and escaping poverty."

By singing the Turkish national anthem, protesters wanted to signal their unity. Alongside Turkish flags and CHP banners, there were also flags from supporting political parties, unions and civil society organizations. University students, pensioners, workers, teachers and even civil servants took part.

"We are being treated unfairly," said a 17-year-old student who joined the rally with his father and other relatives. "Our future is being taken away, our youth is gone. That's why I'm here."

Other political parties also participated in the protests, including the pro-Kurdish DEM Party. "We're fighting for the freedom of Ekrem Imamoglu, Selahattin Demirtas, Figen Yuksekdag and all political prisoners," one of its members told DW. "We're fighting for the freedom of imprisoned students."

Some 22 years after Erdogan first took office as Turkish prime minister in 2003, the fight for democracy and rule of law in the country has flared up once again.

This article was originally written in German.