Imamoglu’s opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and its supporters say the charges against him are politically motivated and undemocratic, which Erdogan’s government denies.

“The main opposition is responsible for our (injured) police officers, the broken windows of our shopkeepers and the damaged public property. They will be held accountable for all this, politically in parliament and legally by the judiciary.”

Ekrem Imamoglu had been expected to challenge Türkiye’s current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the next presidential election in the country. Source: Getty / dia images

Earlier, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya accused some protesters of “terrorising” the streets and threatening national security.

About 15 million votes were cast in support of the mayor.

Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than two decades and faces no immediate tests at the ballot box, said the events of the past few days showed that the CHP was not fit to run local municipalities, let alone the country.