Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on March 28, 2025
Pokemon Uprising? Pikachu flees riot police amid Istanbul’s viral political showdown: ‘Gotta catch ‘em all’
Protests erupted in Istanbul after the arrest of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is considered Erdoğan’s key rival.
Many netizens made AI versions of the video, adding Batman, Joker, and more along with Pikachu
Pokemon Go came to life in the streets of Istanbul when police officers found themselves chasing a Pikachu.
Amid massive protests over the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, a demonstrator dressed in a Pikachu costume joined the crowds, marching alongside thousands of others expressing outrage. But as riot police moved in with water cannons to break up the protest, the costumed activist was seen fleeing—a moment that has since gone viral since.
Nearly 1,900 protesters have been arrested so far, according to officials. İmamoğlu, widely seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s strongest political rival, was recently named the opposition’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election. His arrest on corruption charges has sparked accusations of political persecution, with demonstrators insisting the charges are fabricated to remove him from the race.
Erdoğan, however, dismissed the protests, calling the demonstrators “evil” agents who are “disturbing the peace.” In response to the growing unrest, Turkish authorities have launched a severe crackdown—not only detaining protesters but also deporting BBC journalist Mark Lowen. Officials accused Lowen of being a “threat to public order” and removed him from the country just 17 hours after taking him into custody.
But amid the chaos, it was the sight of a Pikachu dodging riot police that captured the Internet’s attention. Videos of the moment have spread across X, turning a tense political protest into an unexpectedly viral moment.
Watch the viral video:
🚨 BREAKING: Pikachu has joined the anti-Erdogan uprising pic.twitter.com/LAmMQb6KgO
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 27, 2025
The video has been viewed by more than nine million people. It also garnered many reactions from users.
A user wrote, “They can’t catch ‘em all!! Let’s call this the Pokémon uprising!!! More protestors needed in Pokémon suits!”
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Another user wrote, “I thought he was supposed to catch ’em all.” A third user commented, “There’s something so unifying about seeing people be silly all over the world.”
A fourth individual said, “Damn that’s the funniest stuff I’ve seen this year.”
Many netizens also made AI versions of the video, adding other comic book figures like Batman, Joker, and more in the picture.
Protests in Turkey look like something right out of the Joker movie. pic.twitter.com/kGXMGhmHmt
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 27, 2025
Several journalists covering the protests in Turkey have been detained, including seven local reporters and a photojournalist from the French news agency Agence France-Presse. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, authorities have arrested 1,878 people since the demonstrations began last Wednesday, with only 489 released so far.
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Meanwhile, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc insists that the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is unrelated to politics, stating it was due to the gravity of the corruption allegations against him. Tunc, despite the temporary detention of eight reporters, dismissed claims that Turkey imprisons journalists for their reporting.
Reporters Without Borders, an organization advocating for press freedom, ranks Turkey 158th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Press Freedom Index. The group alleges that the government controls 90 per cent of media outlets, significantly limiting independent journalism.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
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