A video of police chasing protesters during an anti-government demonstration in Turkey has gone viral thanks to the presence of Pokemon mascot Pikachu among the fleeing protesters. Police did not appear to have any Pokeballs on hand to help them catch the person in the full-body Pikachu costume, who was first filmed attending the demonstration in Antalya before being filmed running away together with hundreds of other protesters. The protests erupted following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and four of his aides. Imamoglu, a prominent opposition figure and potential rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was taken into custody earlier this month over allegations of graft and aiding a terrorist organization. The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has denounced Imamoglu’s detention as politically motivated, urging supporters to protest within legal bounds. The government, however, maintains that the judiciary operates independently and denies any political interference in the case. Related articles: Student delegation that was stuck in Turkey lands in Poland Shechem terror cell, which planned attacks, arrested 'Erdogan’s hypocrisy knows no bounds' Turkish authorities seek jail time for Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu, 54, has been seen as a leading contender against Erdogan, even surpassing him in some polls. He was expected to be formally announced as the CHP’s presidential candidate within days of his arrest. At about the same time, the X accounts of opposition activists in Turkey began to be blocked, including the accounts of protest leaders. About 2,000 people have been arrested at the anti-government protests in Turkey so far.
