• Turkish police stormed the Republican People's Party (CHP) headquarters to evict ousted leaders.
• Court ruling reinstated former CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, sparking claims of a "judicial coup".
• The incident heightens concerns over Turkey's democratic integrity amid President Erdogan's extended rule.

Turkish riot police intervened on Sunday to forcibly evict members of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) from their headquarters in Ankara. The crackdown followed a court ruling that annulled the election of Ozgur Ozel as party leader, reinstating former chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Riot police fired tear gas as they breached barricades made from furniture and buses, with chaotic scenes reported outside the building as supporters resisted the eviction, according to Reuters and BBC.

The Ankara governor's office gave the order for police to remove Ozel and his supporters following a ruling by an appeals court that dismissed the leadership due to alleged irregularities in the CHP congress held in 2023. "We are under attack," Ozel stated as police entered the premises, highlighting the escalating tensions between the CHP and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government. The court’s decision is viewed by many as a significant move to consolidate Erdogan's political power and has sparked accusations of judicial interference, according to South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times.

As tensions mounted outside the CHP headquarters, video footage captured chaotic moments as the police advanced through clouds of tear gas. Ozel criticized the ruling as a "judicial coup" and vowed to continue fighting for the party's leadership. In his address to supporters after leaving the building, he declared, "We will reclaim our headquarters in such a way that no one will dare to meddle again," further emphasizing the party's defiance against the government's actions, according to Reuters and Los Angeles Times.

The ruling is seen as part of a broader pattern of legal and political maneuvers by Erdogan to undermine opposition forces, with many analysts suggesting that it may facilitate an early election to secure Erdogan's continued grip on power. Following the evacuation, the CHP’s ousted leaders called for protests in Istanbul, aiming to galvanize support and highlight their struggle against what they perceive as autocratic rule, echoing reports from South China Morning Post and BBC.