The mass protests in Istanbul aren't directed solely against the arrest of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. There's also growing discontent regarding the economic crisis in the country.

The second half of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's more than two-decade reign has been a tale of deepening authoritarianism. Analysts say the arrest of the Turkish leader's most popular political opponent on contested charges may be its most dangerous chapter to date.

Turkey’s president has accused the political opposition of “sinking the economy” during the country’s largest protests in more than a decade.