ANKARA, March 24. /TASS/. The opposition Republican People's Party and its leader Ozgur Ozel are fully responsible for the latest wave of violence in Turkey, sparked by the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said.
"We followed with concern the events that unfolded after a call made by the main opposition party’s leader. They quickly descended into violence. A total of 123 of our police officers were wounded in attacks staged by fringe organizations and city gangs," he said after a government meeting in a speech aired by national TV.
"Sadly, the opposition party’s leadership, including its chairman, acted irresponsibly. The party leader and his supporters, who called on people to take to the streets, now bear full responsibility for injuries sustained by police officers, for the damage done to businesses - whose shop windows were smashed - and for damage to state property, estimated at billions of Turkish lira," Erdogan continued.
"All of this will be reviewed by the parliament, and the findings will be submitted to a court," he added.
Turkey has been swept by unrest since March 19. Violent riots and clashes with the police were sparked by the detention and subsequent arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a member of the opposition Republican People's Party. The party and its leadership addressed their followers, calling upon them to "take to the streets." Imamoglu is facing charges of corruption and abetting terrorism.