Amid mass protests in Turkey against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, videos of a protester dressed as Pokemon character Pikachu fleeing from the police have gone viral on social media, drawing humorous reactions from fans of the popular anime.
An X user tweeted, “I’m not too familiar with Turkish politics but I'm on whatever side Pikachu is on.”
Another netizen commented, “Where are the others? You gotta catch them all,” alluding to the catchphrase from the popular anime series. “I had no idea Pikachu could run so fast,” a Pokemon fan wrote.
Along with the viral video, several AI-generated pictures featuring DC characters Batman and Joker and Marvel’s Spiderman are circulating on social media. One of them shows Pikachu wrestling with a police officer while a cosplayer dressed as Batwoman stands atop a jeep. In another photo, all the cosplayers were seen rallying with the other protesters.
After the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on March 19 on corruption charges, protests have erupted across Turkey. Supporters of İmamoğlu are saying that the detention is politically motivated, accusing the government of eliminating the opposition party ahead of the 2028 elections.
As demonstrations spread to over 55 provinces including Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir, police forces cracked down on protesters with water cannons, pepper spray, and plastic pellets. Rioters are demanding İmamoğlu's immediate release and condemning the government's actions.
On Thursday, Imamoglu's lawyer, Mehmet Pehlivan, was apprehended under charges which were not revealed. Calling it a “legal coup”, the mayor tweeted on X, “The evil that a handful of incompetent people are inflicting on our country is growing. Release my lawyer immediately.”
The government has detained nearly 1,900 individuals, including students, journalists, and lawyers.