Erdoğan shows protest footage from Georgia in speech targeting İmamoğlu protests

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan displayed a video during his Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary group meeting today, addressing ongoing protests over the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

The video included a brief clip from demonstrations in Georgia last year. It is not clear whether the president was aware of this.

"Let’s take a look at what kind of opposition mentality we’re dealing with," Erdoğan said before showing the 5-minute, 36-second video to the audience.

In his speech, Erdoğan accused the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) of “terrorizing the streets,” and warned that “any sabotage against Turkey's economy, national peace and welfare will be held accountable before the judiciary.”

Following the meeting, Erdoğan shared the same video on his X account, writing, “It really bothers us that Turkey's main opposition party has become the plaything of marginal leftist organizations, foul-mouthed people who insult the nation, and thieves who rob municipalities blind."

Türkiye’nin ana muhalefet partisinin marjinal sol örgütlerin, millete hakaret eden ağzı bozuk tiplerin, belediyeleri soyup soğana çeviren haramilerin oyuncağı haline gelmesi bizi gerçekten rahatsız ediyor. pic.twitter.com/4KT10zWv7K

— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) March 26, 2025

Between the 4:15 and 4:21 marks of the video, a seven-second segment shows scenes from clashes between protesters and police in Georgia. Footage of the same incident, shot from different angles, can be found in a Georgian-language Facebook post dated Dec 10, 2024.

The protests in Georgia began after opposition groups claimed fraud in the Oct 2024 elections, in which the ruling party was declared the winner. 

(VC/VK)