Huge protests in Istanbul in support of Palestinians and Jerusalem

Most of the demonstrations started from mosques immediately after the midday Jumu'ah prayer (Friday prayer) and headed for Istanbul’s major squares

People stage a protest against US President Donald Trump’s announcement to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and plans to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, on December 8, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey [Onur Çoban / Anadolu Agency]

As many as 39 protests were organised yesterday in Istanbul in response to Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The protests were called by dozens of local and human rights organisations in solidarity with the people of Palestine.

Most of the demonstrations started from mosques immediately after the midday Jumu’ah prayer (Friday prayer) and headed for Istanbul’s major squares. The main focus of the protests was the Üsküdar district in the Asian section of the city and the Sirkeci quarter in the Fatih district. Students from schools and universities joined the protests.

Thousands of police officers were deployed across Istanbul from early on Friday morning to secure the protests and close city streets to avoid traffic jams. The protesters raised the Turkish and Palestinian flags, photographs of the martyrs of the MV Mavi Marmara – the flagship of the Freedom Flotilla which was attacked by Israeli commandos in 2010 – and pictures of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Demonstrators expressed their gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his robust rejection of the US decision.

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Thousands filled the streets of Istanbul's old city and marching with slogans and prayings to support Quds and Aqsa. pic.twitter.com/xYRXkgUHZH

— IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation (@IHHen) December 8, 2017

People stage a protest against US President Donald Trump’s announcement to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and plans to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, on 8 December, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey [Onur Çoban/Anadolu Agency]

People perform Friday prayer at Fatih Mosque ahead of a protest against US President Donald Trump’s announcement to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and plans to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, on December 8, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey [Berk Özkan / Anadolu Agency]

Thousands of Turkish people protest Trump's Jerusalem move in Istanbul https://t.co/7nyJBHPX86 pic.twitter.com/JwrA30PBnn

— DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) December 8, 2017

🆘‼️😯🔥 #Turkey – Angry Turks: several thousand demonstrators in #Istanbul. "#Jerusalem is the bastion of the #Muslims (…) we are here to show our unity and our strength (…) Takbir Allahu Akbar." pic.twitter.com/y3Z0qSIVEw

— Onlinemagazin Ⓥ (@OnlineMagazin) December 8, 2017

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