Turkish deputies duke it out as words fail in Parliament

Hurriyet.com.tr

DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin SÖNMEZ

Fighting erupted in Parliament yesterday after opposition deputies occupied the speaker's rostrum to protest a proposed bylaw.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputies marched toward the speaker's rostrum and blockaded it after they were not given any say about a proposed bylaw that regulates the workings of Parliament.

The CHP members chanted slogans, calling on Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Çiçek to resign and refused to return to their seats for almost 4.5 hours. Çiçek suspended the session five times throughout the protest to talk the CHP deputies into ending their occupation.

Çiçek had to declare the session adjourned at around half past midnight as protesting deputies refused to give in.

'Occupy Parliament'
ends in inter-party fist fight

Deputies from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) walked up to the rostrum where the CHP deputies were standing right after the session ended and started to argue with them. A fistfight broke out between ruling and opposition deputies soon after Parliament's TV channel stopped broadcasting the session.

The fighting lasted for around 15 minutes before the deputies were calmed down. The CHP members left the assembly hall while the AKP deputies stayed longer in the legislature.

Click image to watch video.