Turska policija upala u zgradu glavne opozicione stranke, suzavac i gumeni meci na pristalice

Turkish police stormed the office of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkey's main opposition party, today, firing tear gas and rubber bullets at party supporters and officials gathered outside the party's entrance. It was the violent end to an hours-long showdown between the CHP and its new leadership, which was appointed by the court. Tensions have been rising since Thursday when an appeals court annulled the November 2023 election of Ozgur Ozel as party chairman and suspended him and mem

Footage from local media in the courtyard and inside the building showed huge clouds of tear gas and police in riot gear storming the premises, before evacuating the journalists. Journalists who were in the building at the time of the break-in reported that the doors and furniture were destroyed. Immediately after the raid, Özel published a three-minute video on social media in which he said: "We are under attack. To make our party the number one party in Turkey after 47 years. Victory over the Justice and Development Party," referring to the AKP party led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We will resist here until the end. And if they forcibly remove us, we will continue our march towards the administration on the square," he said. In the court decision, it was said that Ozgur Ozel should be replaced by Kemal Kilchdaroglu, his predecessor who led the party for 13 years but never won a single election. On the other hand, Özel, in his first and only election as the head of the party, dealt a decisive blow to Erdogan's Justice and Development Party in the 2024 local elections. The opposition said the court's decision was politically motivated with the intention of weakening the party as it struggles under a wave of court cases against its members and elected officials. The next presidential election is due in 2028, but Erdogan can call early elections. His main opponent, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a member of the CHP, has been in prison since March last year and is on trial on corruption charges.

Key points

• Footage from local media in the courtyard and inside the building showed huge clouds of tear gas and police in riot gear storming the premises, before evacuating the journalists.
• Journalists who were in the building at the time of the break-in reported that the doors and furniture were destroyed.
• Immediately after the raid, Özel published a three-minute video on social media in which he said: "We are under attack.
• To make our party the number one party in Turkey after 47 years.
• Victory over the Justice and Development Party," referring to the AKP party led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.