Officers forced their way into the building days after the party vowed to defy a court ruling removing its leaders.
13 hours ago
Olivia Ireland
Turkish riot police forced their way into the headquarters of the country's main opposition party on Sunday, days after a court dismissed its leadership.
Clouds of tear gas billowed outside the Republican People's Party (CHP) building in Ankara, where party members had blocked the entrances with a makeshift barricade.
Footage from the scene showed those inside shouting and throwing objects towards the entrance, and police being sprayed with hoses.
Party leader Özgür Özel had vowed to defy an appeal court decision on Thursday which declared his election null and void, in a move further cementing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's grip on power.
The court decided that Özel should be replaced by Kemal Kilicdaroğlu, a 77-year-old party veteran who was defeated by Erdoğan in the 2023 presidential election.
Turkish media reported that Kilicdaroğlu's representatives had requested the police carry out "necessary procedures" to hand over the headquarters to the new leadership, claiming they had so far been barred entry.
The city's governor then instructed the police to "implement the court decision", according to a statement from his office.
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"We are under attack," Özel said in a video message shared on X as the security forces sought entry to the building, where clashes were also reported between his supporters and those of Kilicdaroğlu.
Özel later emerged from the premises, telling crowds gathered outside: "They tried to uproot and throw us out - to where?"
He said the party would "from now be on the streets or in the squares, marching towards power".
He then set off towards the Turkish parliament, leading hundreds of supporters through the streets of Ankara.
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The court's decision overturned a 2025 ruling by a lower court that threw out allegations of vote buying in the party election which made Özel leader.
It also means the party's entire executive is replaced, and it is thought its decisions are no longer recognised.
Human Rights Watch warned on Saturday that Erdoğan's government was undermining Turkish democracy with "abusive tactics" against the CHP.
He has led Turkey since 2003, as prime minister and then as president, and Özel has accused his AK party of pursuing a strategy to "eliminate its rivals".
The 72-year-old leader can only run for president again if he calls early elections before 2028 or changes the constitution.
His Justice Minister Akin Gürlek said earlier this week that the appeal court ruling "reinforces our citizens' trust in democracy".
Previously the chief prosecutor in Istanbul, Gürlek spearheaded investigations targeting the opposition - including the city's highly popular mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, seen as Erdoğan's main political rival, who has been in jail for more than a year on corruption charges.
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