Turkish riot police fired tear gas at CHP HQ to drive out its ousted leadership following orders from Guv Ankara; Ozgur Ozel reacts

Turkish riot police used tear gas and stormed the headquarters of the main opposition Republican People’s Party on Sunday to remove its ousted leadership, escalating political tensions in Turkey.

Tear gas filled the party building as people inside shouted slogans and threw objects towards the entrance as police broke through a temporary barricade, according to Reuters. Immediate information on whether anyone was injured during the clashes.

The crisis follows a Turkish court’s decision on Thursday to impeach CHP leader Ozgur Ozel by annulling the results of the party’s 2023 congress in which he was elected, citing alleged irregularities. On Sunday, Ankara’s governor ordered authorities to clear the party’s headquarters.

Supporters of ousted Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel react as riot police enter the party’s headquarters to evict its leadership after authorities ordered the enforcement of a court order to remove them from the building in Ankara, Turkey May 24, 2026. REUTERS/Efekan Akyuz(REUTERS)

The court reinstated former CHP chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu instead of Ozgur Ozel. Kilicdaroglu was defeated by President Tayyip Erdogan in the 2023 national elections.

A man uses a fire extinguisher as police stormed the headquarters of Turkey’s opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) to evict supporters gathered inside of party leader Ozgur Ozel in Ankara, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Ali Unal)(AP Photo/Ali Unal)

Political analysts said the verdict was seen as a crucial test of democracy in Turkey, with fears it could further strengthen Erdogan’s more than two decades in power, the report said.

What did Ozgur Ozel say?

As security forces entered the party’s headquarters, Ozel posted a video message on X that the party was “under attack”. After the police intervention, he came out of the building to address supporters, who responded with cheers and applause.

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Ozel declared that the Republican People’s Party would continue its struggle “in the streets and in the squares” as it marches to power. He then led hundreds of supporters to the Turkish parliament amid a heavy presence of riot police.

The ousted CHP leadership also called on its supporters to organize protests in three separate locations in Istanbul on Sunday evening.

The ousted leadership of the Republican People’s Party, headed by Ozgur Ozel, condemned the court’s decision as a “judicial coup”. Ozel vowed to challenge the decision through legal channels and said he would continue to stay at the party headquarters in Ankara “day and night”.

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On Saturday, Ozel called on the party to convene a new congress at the earliest opportunity, while Kemal Kilicdaroglu said such a meeting would take place at an “appropriate” time. On the same day, CHP MPs elected Ozel as head of the party’s caucus.

Turkey’s next general election is currently scheduled for 2028. But analysts said the latest court ruling could make early elections more likely, especially since President Tayyip Erdogan, who is 72 and limited by term limits, would need an early vote if he intends to seek another term.

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Erdogan has led Turkey since 2003, first serving as prime minister before becoming president. His political dominance faced a major challenge in 2019 when the Republican People’s Party won control of several key cities in local elections. In Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu became a widely popular and charismatic leader who many believed to be capable of defeating Erdoğan.

The Turkish government has rejected allegations that the judiciary is being used against political opponents and insists the courts operate independently.

Turkish police on Saturday detained 13 people in connection with an investigation into the 2023 CHP congress, according to state media. The individuals are accused of crimes including violating laws on political parties, bribery and laundering proceeds of crime.

(With inputs from Reuters)