Viral: Pikachu Joins Protests In Antalya Amid Turmoil Over Turkey Mayor's Arrest
A viral video from Antalya shows a protester dressed in a Pikachu costume running from the police during mass protests against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
The protests erupted across Turkey after Imamoglu, a key political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained in a corruption probe.
As police used water cannons to disperse protesters, the Pikachu-clad individual was seen evading arrest, becoming an unexpected symbol of defiance amid the chaos.
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The video quickly went viral, shared by Imamoglu’s political party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), with the caption, “Even Pikachu is affected by pepper spray.”
During mass protests in Turkey, a person in a Pikachu costume was caught on camera running from tear gas, creating a surreal and viral moment pic.twitter.com/NUZ5krmNZx
— ScreenAddict (@Screenaddict9) March 28, 2025
Imamoglu, who had been leading Erdogan in some polls, was arrested last week after a court ordered his detention pending trial on corruption charges.
Pikachu used Quick Attack… but the cops had Max Repel.
A protester in a full Pikachu costume was spotted sprinting from police during anti-Erdoğan protests in Turkey. Real-life Pokémon chase? Unlocked.#PikachuProtest #GottaRunFast #TurkeyProtests pic.twitter.com/FVpNPHIFiQ— SIMONSAYSDRIP (@simonsaysdrip) March 27, 2025
His party had gained control of Istanbul in 2019, marking a significant political shift in what had been an Erdogan stronghold for over two decades.
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Since Imamoglu’s detention, nearly 2,000 people have been arrested during the ongoing protests. The demonstrations have led to increased tensions, with Turkey rejecting foreign criticisms of Imamoglu’s arrest.
Additionally, seven local journalists covering the protests were briefly detained, and BBC correspondent Mark Lowen was deported after being taken from his hotel in Istanbul.
Ekrem Imamoglu (born June 4, 1970) is a Turkish politician and businessman who served as the 32nd Mayor of Istanbul from 2019 to 2025. He is also the Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate for the 2028 Turkish presidential election.
