ISTANBUL — Three years after she was acquitted over her role in Turkey›s Gezi Park protests, Mucella Yapici was called in last month by police to face more questions about the unrest that had posed a direct challenge to the authority of President Tayyip Erdogan.

Yapici is one of dozens who were involved in demonstrations that brought millions onto Turkey›s streets in 2013 to protest against the government and who are now caught up in a renewed investigation, raising concerns among Turkey›s Western allies.

Opposition figures say the renewed crackdown is designed to polarize public opinion and rally support for Erdogan›s AK Party ahead of local elections in March, when it could face tight races in some of Turkey›s largest cities.

«Five years later the prosecutor has suddenly remembered the Gezi resistance and started a new witch hunt,» the Berlin-based journalist, Can Dundar, said after details of his arrest warrant emerged on Dec. 5.

Responding to last month›s arrest of 13 academics and civil society representatives linked to Kavala, EU commissioner Johannes Hahn said Brussels was troubled by the arrest of journalists, human rights defenders and civil society activists.

Although he strengthened his presidential powers after elections in June, support for Tayyip Erdogan›s AK Party fell to 43 percent, meaning he needed an alliance with nationalists for a parliamentary majority.

A survey by pollster Metropoll last month showed his personal approval had fallen below 40 percent, having been around 50 percent ahead of the June elections.

Aykut Erdogdu, a CHP lawmaker for Istanbul, said trust in Erdogan was declining due to economic hardship.

Meanwhile, thousands of people turned out to protest the rising cost of living in Turkey at a demonstration in Diyarbakir in the southeast of the country.

They were also demanding the reinstatement of tens of thousands of public sectors who were sacked after the failed July 2016 coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey›s economy has been suffering from the plummeting value of the Turkish Lira, a casualty of the diplomatic strains with the United States this summer and of market nervousness towards the government›s economic policy.

Inflation surged to 25.24 percent in October, a 15-year high, before dropping back to 21.62 percent in November -- but ordinary people are feeling it in their pockets.

Some of the demonstrators praised the «yellow vests» protests in France, which started in response to fuel price rises but broadened out into anti-government protests. — Agencies