A second night of protests erupts in Turkey despite a ban on demonstrations.

Police in Istanbul deployed tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters during a second night of unrest following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, despite a four-day protest ban being in effect.

Imamoglu, a member of the secular Republican People's Party (CHP) and a prominent rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was expected to be named a candidate for the 2028 presidential election later this week.

On Wednesday, Imamoglu was among 106 individuals detained on charges including corruption and supporting terrorist organizations.

In the aftermath, Turkish authorities have arrested dozens more people for "provocative" social media posts related to the protests.

In response to the ongoing protests, Turkey's President Erdogan accused his political opponents of engaging in theatrics by participating in the second night of demonstrations.

"They have lost their balance to such an extent that they are now attacking our police and making threats against judges and prosecutors," Erdogan said.

Ozgur Ozel, leader of Imamoglu’s Republican People's Party (CHP), addressed a crowd of demonstrators outside Istanbul's city hall, accusing the government of attempting a "coup" and asserting that people had the right to protest.

However, government officials criticized the opposition for encouraging protests. "Gathering and marching in protest are fundamental rights. But calling for protests over an ongoing legal investigation is illegal and unacceptable," Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc wrote online.

Imamoglu, through a message on his X account on Thursday, called on Turkey to "stand against this evil as a nation" and urged members of the judiciary and Erdogan’s party to fight against injustice. "These events have transcended our parties and political ideals. The process now concerns our people and your families," Imamoglu stated. "It is time to raise our voices."

Despite the unrest, the number of protesters remains relatively small in a city with over 16 million people. At this stage, the protests are unlikely to generate significant political pressure on Erdogan to release Imamoglu.

Authorities now have until Sunday to either charge or release Imamoglu.