Police used pepper spray and clashed today with MPs and supporters of the largest party in the Turkish opposition, the Republican Laika (CHP), as the latter gathered at the party’s headquarters in Constantinople to prevent the party to be replaced.

On Tuesday, the court was dismissed the leader and administration of the local party organization in Istanbul, citing irregularities in his election at the 2023 conference.

The CHP has been targeting a judicial repression for hundreds of members for months, including Constantinople Mayor Ekrem Imamoglou, the main political opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose arrest was made by March. The CHP denies all charges and argues that legal measures against him are political efforts to eliminate the electoral threats for Erdogan and to weaken the opposition.

Hundreds of police officers set up barricades around the CHP building, and clashed with a group of protesters of CHP supporters, including party members.

Shares and bond markets retreated last week ahead of further political volatility, after a court ruled that Ozgur Celik should be removed from his post in the party leadership in Constantinople.

The court has ordered Celik’s replacement by Gursel Turki, a former Chp vice president. CHP President Ozgur Ozel said the court ruling was “invalid” and that Tekin had been deleted by the party. Ozgur Celik said his position would not be given to anyone.

Tekin arrived at the Chp headquarters today to take over the post he was given and entered the building after a long confrontation with party members inside the building. He told reporters that he was not working for the state and pledged to help resolve the party’s legal problems.

Yesterday, the CHP called the residents of Constantinople to demonstrations, after police set up dams in areas around its headquarters, which the leader called him a “siege”. Authorities then announced the ban on protests in much of the city.

Access to large social networking sites has been limited to Turkey today, a measure that has previously resorted to authorities in times of political instability.

Interior Minister Ali Germanya said the ignorance of the judicial decision is equivalent to obstructing justice and that “the state will do everything it deems necessary against any illegal initiative”.