Turkish opposition rallies in defence of jailed Istanbul mayor in mass protest

Hundreds of thousands gather for Ekrem mamolu outside Istanbul centre in move to keep momentum after clashes with police

Turkey's main opposition has rallied in defence of the jailed Istanbul mayor, Ekrem mamolu, in a move to sustain the largest anti-government demonstrations in years.

Hundreds of thousands of people attended the protest called by the head of the opposition Republican People's party (CHP) in a spot far from the Istanbul city centre. The party leader, Ozgur Ozel, claimed 2.2 million people attended.