The police used tear gas and clashed today with deputies and supporters of the largest party in the Turkish opposition, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), as the latter gathered at the party’s Constantinople headquarters to block the replacement of a senior party official, which was ordered by a court last week.

On Tuesday, a court ousted the head and management of the party’s local organization in Constantinople, citing irregularities in his election at the 2023 congress.

The CHP has for months been the target of a judicial crackdown on hundreds of its members, including the mayor of Constantinople Ekrem Imamoglu, the main political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose arrest in March gave rise to the largest protests in a decade. The CHP denies all accusations and maintains that the legal measures against it are political efforts to eliminate electoral threats to Erdogan and weaken the opposition.

Hundreds of police officers set up barricades around the CHP building and clashed with a group of CHP supporters demonstrators, which included party deputies.

Stock and bond markets retreated last week in the face of the potential for further political instability after a court ruled that Ozgur Çelik should be removed from his post as party leader in Constantinople.

The court ordered Celik to be replaced by Gyursel Tekin, a former CHP vice president. CHP chairman Ozgur Ozel said the court decision was “invalid” and that Tekin had been expelled from the party. Ozgur Chelik said his position would not be given to anyone.

Tekin arrived at the CHP headquarters today to take up the post he was given and entered the building after a lengthy confrontation with party members inside the building. He told reporters that he does not work for the state and pledged to help solve the party’s legal problems.

Yesterday Sunday, the CHP called on Constantinople residents to protest after police set up barricades in areas around its headquarters in what its leader called a “siege.” Authorities subsequently announced a ban on protests in much of the city.

Access to major social networking sites was restricted in Turkey today, a measure authorities have resorted to before in times of political instability.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that ignoring the court ruling amounted to obstruction of justice and that “the state will do what it deems necessary against any illegal initiative.”