A brawl broke out at the Turkish parliament on Wednesday as lawmakers debated budgets and policy, Reuters reported.
The fisticuffs broke out during an intense budget debate between Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and an opposition lawmaker, and escalated into a fight in which dozens of members were involved, pushing and pulling at each other in the chamber.
The incident began when Erkan Aydin, a prominent member of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), asked Soylu why he used a plane belonging to a businessman accused of money laundering. Aydin produced a picture purporting to show the minister on the plane.
"You're lying! You are a liar!" Soylu responded, triggering the brawl.
The Turkish parliament has seen brawls in the past. In 2017, for example, a brawl erupted at the parliament as lawmakers debated constitutional amendments that would expand presidential powers.
The fight broke out shortly after opposition lawmaker Özgür Özel told ruling party lawmakers "You are trying to destroy yourselves when the TV is off and nobody sees. We won't let it happen.”
Shortly after Özel’s comments, fellow members of the main opposition Republican People's Party encircled the speaker's rostrum with arms joined in protest. The fight broke out soon afterward.
One senior lawmaker with AKP suffered a broken nose during the brawl.