The "Democracy and Martyrs' Rally" took place in Turkey's biggest city, Istanbul, today for a rally in protest against last month's attempted coup.
This rally is the climax of three weeks of nightly demonstrations organised by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supporters around the country, in reaction to the coup on July 15th with result in the deaths of more than 270 people.
According to Reuters, banners at the rally read "You are a gift from God, Erdogan" or "Order us to die and we will do it". But it was also the first time in decades that major opposition parties joined a rally in support of the government.
President Erdogan is expected to be joined by opposition leaders today in addressing the giant crowds, having claimed he planned to rid Turkey of the network in support of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose followers in the security and civil services are accused of orchestrating the attempted power grab and of plotting to overthrow the state.
The Turkish President has also told the rally of supporters that he would approve the return of the death penalty.
Erdogan told the huge crowd that had gathered to hear him speak that if Parliament votes to bring back capital punishment, he would back it.
