Turkish Police disperse opposition demonstration with tear gas

Police in Turkey used tear gas and water cannons to disperse a gathering called by opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel, one day after a court ruling removed him from his position.

26 May, 2026 19:03

NEWS DESK

Residents gathered in the Turkish city of Izmir in response to a call by opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel, following a judicial decision issued the previous day removing him from office.

The gathering came two days after hundreds of police officers stormed the CHP headquarters in Ankara, where they reportedly used tear gas and physically assaulted party members before forcing them out of the building, according to statements made by Özel to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The court ruling issued on Thursday annulled Özgür Özel’s victory in the party’s 2023 internal elections and appointed former party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as interim head of the party.

This move is the latest in a series of measures targeting the Republican People’s Party, Turkey’s largest and oldest political party, which achieved a major victory over the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the 2024 elections, in addition to leading in public opinion polls.

ANHA