Background

Turkey has been gripped by protests following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19 over corruption charges, which he denies. The popular opposition mayor was due to run for the presidency in 2028 elections. His supporters see his arrest as a political move by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Since March 19, police have detained nearly 2,000 people, many of them university students. The protests have sparked a wave of solidarity from artists and musicians, with many calling for a boycott of companies that support the government.

Muse's Cancellation

Muse's decision to cancel their concert comes after promoter Abdulkadir Ozkan denounced some opposition protesters' acts as treason. He later expressed regret for any "misunderstanding". The band said it fully respected the concerns of fans and would postpone their show in Istanbul until 2026 to ensure DBL Entertainment would not be involved.

Other artists, including Norwegian singer Ane Brun, have also canceled their concerts in Istanbul. Robbie Williams has faced calls to cancel his show, but his management team has not yet responded.

Protests and Boycotts

The controversy over the concerts coincides with wider calls for a countrywide boycott in Turkey, which has been criticized by the government as economic sabotage. Imamoglu's opposition Republican People's Party has called for a boycott of companies that support the government, with some shops closing in solidarity.

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said the calls threatened social harmony and economic stability and were "doomed to fail". The situation remains tense, with protests and boycotts continuing across the country.