Over 100 Detained as Anti-NATO Protesters Rally in Turkey Ahead of Summit

Turkish authorities detained more than 100 people on Sunday during anti-NATO protests organized by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), just days before the NATO leaders' summit scheduled to take place in Ankara.

According to the TKP, more than 100 party members, including senior officials, were arrested during a march in Ankara's central Kizilay Square. Protesters waved flags and chanted slogans such as "Murderer NATO, get out of our country" and "No passage to NATO" before riot police dispersed the gathering using tear gas.

Turkey is set to host leaders from NATO's 32 member states, along with officials from partner countries, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Ahead of the summit, authorities have tightened security across the capital by banning demonstrations, closing roads, and barricading key areas.

Separate anti-NATO demonstrations also took place in Istanbul, where hundreds marched from Taksim Square to Dolmabahce, while additional protests were held in the Kadikoy district. Despite a heavy police presence, no clashes were reported during the Istanbul rallies.

TKP Secretary General Kemal Okuyan said the protests were aimed at opposing NATO's presence in Turkey.

"We gathered in many parts of Turkey to protest against NATO. We promised that Ankara would not remain silent in the face of the alliance, and we have kept that promise," he said.

The Turkish government had not issued an official statement on the detentions at the time of reporting.

The protests came amid a broader security crackdown ahead of the NATO summit. Last month, Turkish authorities detained hundreds of people during anti-terror operations in Ankara and other parts of the country. On Sunday, local media also reported the detention of 39 journalists, activists, and academics in separate security raids.

Opposition figures, including the co-chair of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party and members of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), criticized the detentions, describing them as restrictions on fundamental rights ahead of the international summit.

Turkish prosecutors have maintained that the recent security operations are part of ongoing efforts to combat militant activities and are not directly linked to the NATO summit.

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