Pikachu Was Spotted Fleeing From The Police During The Huge Anti-Government Protests In Turkey
Turkey has been rocked by huge protests after authorities arrested Istanbul’s popular mayor and main opposition candidate, Ekrem İmamoğlu over “corruption and aiding a terrorist group”.
A protester dressed in an inflatable Pikachu costume was seen running from the police with a crowd of protesters in Antalya, Turkey, on the evening of Wednesday, March 26.
In a video captured by Ismail Koçeroğlu, a photojournalist at Akdeniz University in Antalya, the unexpected demonstrator can be seen running away from smoke and water cannons set off by the police during the ongoing mass anti-government protests.
The surreal moment has gone viral, with an AI-generated image of Pikachu rushing through the streets alongside protesters going viral shortly after.
Turkey has been rocked by huge protests for more than a week after authorities arrested Istanbul’s popular mayor and main opposition candidate, Ekrem İmamoğlu over “corruption and aiding a terrorist group” on March 18.
54-year-old Ekrem İmamoğlu is considered the leading rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has ruled for 22 years and has been accused of authoritarianism.
Opposition members said İmamoğlu’s arrest was an “attempted coup against our next president”, as his party was planning to select him as the candidate to run against Erdoğan in 2028.
The government has denied İmamoğlu’s arrest was politically motivated.
People are protesting in several major cities in Turkey, and Pikachu was spotted at the one in Antalya.
According to CNN, authorities have arrested more than 1,400 protesters since the start of the protest, saying they have “terrorized the streets”.
The protests erupted across Turkey on March 18, and are the largest demonstrations in the country in more than 10 years.
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