A dramatic altercation unfolded in the Turkish Parliament on Friday as a heated debate over the detention of an opposition delegate descended into physical violence.
The brawl erupted when Ahmet Sik, a representative from the same party as the jailed deputy, was attacked by a member of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party during a tense session.
Televised footage captured the moment Sik, who had just accused the ruling party of being a “terrorist organization,” was approached and assaulted at the chamber’s podium.
AP reports that a chaotic scene unfolded in the Turkish Grand National Assembly during a recent session, with multiple deputies involved in a scuffle.
A female lawmaker was struck, leaving bloodstains on the steps leading to the speaker’s lectern, and another opposition member was also injured.
Physical altercations among Turkey’s lawmakers are not uncommon.
Ozgur Ozel, leader of the largest opposition party, condemned the violence, stating, “It is a shameful situation. Instead of exchanging words, fists are flying, and there is blood on the ground. They are hitting women.”
Source: APnews.com