Turkish riot police forced their way into the headquarters of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in Ankara on Sunday after a court decision removed party leader Ozgur Ozel and reinstated former chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu, escalating a political crisis that has intensified scrutiny of Turkey’s democratic institutions.
Police used tear gas to disperse resistance at the building after supporters of Ozel barricaded entrances and attempted to block security forces from entering.
Footage from the scene showed clashes outside the headquarters, with objects thrown toward officers and hoses used against police.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Ozel later emerged from the building and led supporters on a march toward the Turkish parliament, where thousands gathered in protest.
The court ruling, issued on Thursday, annulled the results of the CHP’s 2023 congress in which Ozel was elected party leader, citing irregularities.
The decision restored Kilicdaroglu, who lost the 2023 presidential election to President Tayyip Erdogan, as party chairman.
Turkish media reported that representatives aligned with Kilicdaroglu requested police assistance to secure control of the headquarters after claiming they had been denied entry.
Ankara’s governor subsequently instructed police to enforce the court ruling.
As tensions mounted, supporters of Ozel and Kilicdaroglu reportedly clashed both inside and outside the building.
One television channel later showed members of Kilicdaroglu’s team inside an office at party headquarters, although Kilicdaroglu himself had not publicly commented.
Ozel condemned the ruling as a “judicial coup” and vowed to challenge it through legal appeals.
“We are under attack,” he said in a video message shared on X during the police operation.
Addressing supporters outside parliament, Ozel declared that the CHP would continue “on the streets, in the squares, marching towards power.”
The CHP’s parliamentary group voted on Saturday to retain Ozel as its leader in parliament.
The dispute has intensified concerns over Turkey’s political direction ahead of the next scheduled national election in 2028.
Human Rights Watch accused Erdogan’s government of undermining Turkish democracy, while Turkish officials rejected criticism and insisted the judiciary operates independently.
State media also reported that police detained 13 people as part of an investigation linked to the CHP’s 2023 congress.