Turkish Parliament sees fresh fistfight among deputies

Hurriyet.com.tr

DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin SÖNMEZ

Fighting broke out in the Turkish Parliament yet again yesterday as discussions during a proposed education reform degenerated first into a verbal commotion before escalating into a physical conflict among deputies. 

An argument started between Mehmet Metiner from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Veli Ağbaba from the main opposition Republican People’ Party (CHP) after Metiner reacted to some expressions Ağbaba used while he was addressing the assembly. 

The argument between the deputies heated up and Metiner slapped Ağbaba. Metiner then squeezed Ağbaba’s throat as other deputies moved to separate the two. Ağbaba reportedly yelled, “Who do you think you are? Who is this bandit?” as the deputies dragged the two apart.

AKP deputy Halide İncekara, meanwhile, reacted to photographers who were taking pictures of the scuffle and reportedly said: “What’s this? What are you photographing? Is there anything to see here? What are you doing?”

The CHP deputies requested that Metiner be reprimanded in accordance with the parliamentary bylaw but the demand was rejected via the votes of AKP deputies. 

‘We will bring guns’

CHP deputy Muharrem İnce addressed the Parliament after the fighting was over and said well-built AKP deputies clustered around CHP deputies whenever there was an argument. 

“We will bring guns to the General Assembly if you keep doing this. You leave us no other option,” he said.