Scuffle at CHP headquarters as police intervene
Police officers intervened in a standoff at the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) headquarters on May 24 after a court ruling stripped the current leadership of its authority.
Clashes erupted between police and party members gathered outside the headquarters in Ankara after officers broke through the entrance gate and parking barriers despite objects piled up in front of the building to block access. Footage circulating on social media showed police using tear gas as tensions spiraled.
The unrest followed an Ankara court decision on May 21 declaring the CHP’s 38th ordinary convention — where current leader Özgür Özel defeated longtime chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu — a case of “complete nullity” over alleged irregularities.
The ruling effectively reinstated Kılıçdaroğlu as chair and invalidated the current central executive board, party council and high disciplinary board.
