Ankara: Turkish riot police stormed the headquarters of the country's main opposition Republican Peoples' Party (CHP) on Sunday, firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse supporters and party officials who had barricaded themselves inside for three days. The raid marked a dramatic escalation in a standoff triggered by an appeals court ruling that annulled the 2023 election of CHP leader Ozgur Ozel and reinstated his predecessor, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
According to United News of Bangladesh, footage from local media showed police entering the building through clouds of tear gas as supporters attempted to resist using fire extinguishers. Doors, furniture, and windows on the ground floor were damaged during the operation. Ozel vowed to reclaim the headquarters and later marched with supporters toward Parliament in Ankara.
The opposition claims the court decision is politically motivated and aimed at weakening the CHP ahead of future elections. Ozel accused the government of targeting the party after its success in the 2024 municipal elections, where it dealt a major blow to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party. The CHP has faced mounting legal pressure in recent months, while jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu remains Erdogan's main political rival.