ANKARA: Turkish authorities ordered police to evict the leadership of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) from their headquarters on Sunday, enforcing a court ruling that reinstated the former leader and fueled a political crisis. Riot police and crowds gathered outside the gates of CHP headquarters in the Turkish capital after the Ankara governor’s office issued the order to remove CHP members aligned with ousted leader Ozgur Ozel.

The ruling marks a major escalation in the legal crackdown on the CHP, which has already been hit by the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, its presidential candidate.

Court ruling removes current CHP leader Ozgur Ozel and reinstates former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu