Turkish riot police storm opposition headquarters to evict ousted party leaders

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - ANKARA — Turkish riot police forced their way into the headquarters of the country's main opposition partyto evict its ousted leadership on Sunday, fuelling a crisis at the heart of Turkey's democracy.
Clouds of tear gas billowed within the Republican People's Party (CHP) building while those inside shouted and threw objects at the entrance as police broke through a makeshift barricade. There were no reports of injuries during the intervention.
A Turkish court ousted CHP leader Ozgur Ozel on Thursday, annulling the results of the CHP congress where he was elected in 2023, citing irregularities.
Özel had vowed to defy the appeal court decision that further cemented President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's grip on power.
The court reinstatedformer ⁠CHP chair Kemal Kilicdaroglu, a 77-year-old party veteran who was defeated by Erdoğan in the 2023 presidential election.
"We are under attack," Ozel said in a video message shared on X as the security forces entered, before emerging from the building after the police intervention, vowing that the CHP would from now on be "on the streets, in the squares, marching towards power."
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.
Ozel said the party would "from now be on the streets or in the squares, marching toward power".
He then set off toward the Turkish parliament, leading hundreds of supporters through the streets of Ankara.
"Until this struggle frees the party from occupation, our headquarters is here," ‌Ozel told ⁠the crowd before entering the assembly.
CHP lawmakers on Saturday elected him as leader of the party's parliamentary group.
As he spoke, one TV channel showed members of Kilicdaroglu's team sitting in an office in CHP headquarters, but the reinstated leader was reported to be at home and was yet to make a statement on the situation.
The ousted CHP leadership under Ozel condemned the court ruling as a "judicial coup" and Ozel had promised to fight it through legal appeals and to remain "day and night" at the Ankara headquarters.
Ozel called on Saturday for a new party congress to be held as soon as possible, while Kilicdaroglu has said a congress would ⁠be held at an "appropriate" time.
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 recognized.
Human Rights Watch warned on Saturday that Erdoğan's government was undermining Turkish democracy with "abusive tactics" against the CHP.
Erdogan 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.
The government, meanwhile, denies ⁠criticism that it uses courts to target political rivals, saying the judiciary is independent.
State media said on Saturday Turkish police had detained 13 people under an investigation into the 2023 congress. They face charges of violating the law on political parties, accepting bribes and laundering assets derived from crime.