Turkish opposition stages huge rally for ‘justice’, in challenge to President Erdogan

Hundreds of thousands of Turkish opposition supporters on Sunday thronged an Istanbul square to mark the end of a nearly month-long march protesting alleged injustices under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a rare challenge to him.

A sea of people filled the vast shoreside square in Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul, celebrating the culmination of a 450km “justice march” from Ankara to Istanbul by Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

The rally is by far the biggest by the opposition seen in Istanbul since the mass May-June 2013 demonstrations against Erdogan’s rule.

Kilicdaroglu began the 25-day walk to protest the arrest of one of his MPs. It rapidly grew into a major march against alleged injustices under a state of emergency imposed following last year’s July 15 failed coup.

“Nobody should think this march is the last one. It’s the first step,” Kilicdaroglu told crowds who roared back with the cry “Justice!”.

“Everyone should know very well that July 9 is a new step, a new history ... a new birth,” he added.