Epic brawl shakes up Turkish Parliament

ANKARA: Turkish Parliament saw a brawl of epic proportions as the country’s lawmakers were involved in a dramatic altercation on Friday.

The bedlam started during a discussion regarding imprisoned opposition figure Can Atalay ignited a physical confrontation within the parliament.

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The conflict began when leftist MP Ahmet Şık from the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP) was speaking at the podium. Alpay Özalan, a member of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), moved towards Şık and attempted to strike him.

The confrontation quickly escalated into a full-scale brawl involving numerous legislators, resulting in injuries to at least two people.

Visuals from the scene captured Şık on the ground, enduring multiple blows from AKP members. The violence caused blood to spill onto the parliament floor, which was subsequently cleaned by staff. The session was temporarily halted due to the unrest.

The argument centered around Atalay, who is a lawyer and activist serving an 18-year prison sentence linked to the 2013 Gezi Park protests.

Despite his incarceration, Atalay secured a parliamentary seat in the May 2023 elections while campaigning from prison. His election led to a contentious legal battle regarding his parliamentary immunity. The jailed parliamentarian was later expelled.

The fight broke out after Özalan confronted Şık, who had criticised the AKP’s treatment of Atalay. Şık denounced the ruling party for branding Atalay a “terrorist” and accused them of poor handling of opposition members. The altercation intensified when Özalan physically attacked Şık.

The parliament reconvened after the disruption, and the motion to reinstate Atalay’s parliamentary seat was defeated. The vote was influenced by AKP and MHP deputies, who opposed the opposition’s efforts.

The date for the resumption of the parliamentary session remains unclear as the repercussions of the brawl are still unfolding.

The Gezi Park protests began in 2013 against the redevelopment of an Istanbul park. It later grew into a huge protest against Erdoğan’s then-government.

Atalay’s situation, along with that of philanthropist Osman Kavala—serving a life sentence—has faced widespread criticism from human rights groups in Turkey, with demands for judicial reform.

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Although the Turkish constitutional court ruled in favour of Atalay, declaring his removal from parliament invalid, the rulings have not been fully enforced by lower courts.