Turkish riot police forcibly entered the headquarters of the Republican People's Party (CHP), the country's main opposition group, on Sunday following a court decision that removed its leadership. According to BBC News, tear gas was deployed outside the Ankara building where party members had erected makeshift barricades at the entrances. Al Jazeera reports that officers smashed through these barriers and removed leader Özgür Özel from the building. The operation followed an appeal court ruling on Thursday that declared Özel's leadership null and void, according to BBC News. The court ordered his replacement with Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, a 77-year-old former chairman. BBC News notes the CHP had vowed to defy the court decision. Footage from the scene showed party members inside shouting and throwing objects toward police, who responded with water sprays. The incident represents another development in what BBC News characterizes as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's consolidation of power. The clash highlights ongoing tensions between Turkey's judiciary and opposition political forces.
International