A dramatic brawl erupts in the Turkish parliament as opposition deputy, Ahmet Sik, is attacked for demanding the admission of his jailed colleague, Can Atalay, who was elected as an MP despite facing charges for organizing protests against the government. The chaos unfolded as members of the ruling AKP party rushed to physically confront Sik, resulting in a chaotic scuffle with bloodshed staining the parliamentary podium.
Can Atalay, who was sentenced to 18 years on allegations of attempting to overthrow the government through the Gezi Park protests in 2013, denies all charges and was elected to parliament in 2021. After initially being stripped of his seat, the constitutional court overturned the decision on August 1st.
Sik condemned the AKP politicians, accusing them of labeling anyone who disagrees with them as terrorists, while asserting that the true perpetrators are the ones in power. The incident led to a 45-minute recess in parliament, with the TIP party advocating for Atalay’s release from prison. The shocking altercation underscores the deep political divisions and tensions in Turkey’s government.