Izmir is Türkiye’s third-largest city, a historic port on the Aegean Sea, and a political-municipal hub.
Turkish police have carried out coordinated raids in at least 12–15 provinces, targeting LGBTQ organisations, bars and activists in cities including Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek has said prosecutors have opened cases against 162 suspects, nine associations and 13 businesses under a "My Family is Safe" operation tied to President Erdogan's "Decade of the Family." Rights groups say about 50 people have been detained and several websites and social accounts have been blocked.
Turkish authorities have carried out nationwide raids on LGBTQ+ and HIV‑advocacy groups under an operation called "My Family is Safe," detaining at least dozens of people, shuttering or blocking websites and seizing material from offices, officials and rights groups say. European bodies and international NGOs have criticised the crackdown.
Izmir’s CHP mayor Cemil Tugay has joined Erdogan’s AKP in a ceremony in Ankara. The move grants the AKP control of a city historically governed by the opposition. Protests occurred in Izmir with police barriers at Cumhuriyet Square as opposition figures denounced the defection. The mayor’s exit follows a crackdown on opposition figures and a broader realignment within Turkish politics.
Armed attacks in Afyonkarahisar province have killed eight people and left one in critical condition. Victims were found in three villages—Ayazini, Kiyir and Yukaritandir—after a gunman opened fire. The suspect fled and was later captured in Eskisehir; local authorities say investigations are ongoing.
A crane collapse at the Habas Demir Celik steel plant in Aliaga, near Izmir, has caused a deadly blast. Authorities say several workers are dead or missing and the fire is ongoing as rescue teams search the rubble. Officials have launched an investigation amid safety concerns at the facility.