Turkish riot police storm opposition CHP headquarters in Ankara

Turkish riot police forced their way into the headquarters of the country's main opposition party on Sunday, days after a court dismissed its leadership.

Clouds of tear gas billowed outside the Republican People's Party (CHP) building in Ankara as officers broke through a makeshift barricade blocking their entry.

Footage from the scene showed those inside shouting and throwing objects towards the entrance, and police being sprayed with hoses.

The party had vowed to defy an appeal court decision on Thursday which declared Özgür Özel's leadership of the party null and void, in a move further cementing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's grip on power.

The court decided that Özel should be replaced by Kemal Kilicdaroğlu, a 77-year-old party veteran who was defeated by Erdoğan in the 2023 presidential election and then voted out as party leader.

"We are under attack," Özel said in a video message shared on X as the security forces entered.

He later emerged from the building after the police intervention, before setting off towards parliament surrounded by supporters.

He said the party would "from now be on the streets or in the squares, marching towards power".

Human Rights Watch warned on Saturday that Erdoğan's government was undermining Turkish democracy with "abusive tactics" against the CHP.

Erdoğan has led Turkey since 2003, as prime minister and then as president, and Özel has accused his AK party of pursuing a strategy to "eliminate its rivals".

The 72-year-old leader can only run for president again if he calls early elections before 2028 or changes the constitution.

Justice Minister Akin Gürlek said earlier this week that the appeal court ruling "reinforces our citizens' trust in democracy".

The decision overturned a 2025 ruling by a lower court that threw out allegations of vote buying during the CHP primary in which Özel became opposition leader.