Wreath crisis at Anıtkabir: Özgür Özel faces protocol obstacle
A short-lived crisis occurred during CHP Chairman Özgür Özel's visit to Anıtkabir with tens of thousands of people in the capital, when he was not permitted to lay a wreath. The solution was found by removing the ribbon from the wreath.
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CHP Chairman Özgür Özel walked to Anıtkabir with citizens following a crowded holiday gathering held at Güvenpark in Ankara. During the visit, which saw occasional overcrowding due to high interest, the CHP leader's request to lay a wreath at Atatürk's mausoleum was blocked by military protocol.
Özgür Özel and Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş wanted to carry a wreath made of red and white carnations, which bore the inscription "CHP Chairman Özgür Özel", to the mausoleum. However, Anıtkabir Command officials closed the entrance gates, refusing to allow the wreath into the mausoleum area on the grounds that it had not been notified in the official protocol beforehand.
Intervening to resolve the issue, Özel removed the ribbon bearing his title from the wreath and carried it in his hand. Following this step, the gates were opened, and only a specific number of people were directed to the mausoleum.
Anıtkabir’de “Özgür Özel-CHP Genel Başkanı” gerginliği…
— serbestiyet (@serbestiyetweb) May 30, 2026
CHP’lilerle Anıtkabir’e yürüyen Özgür Özel'in çelenginin üzerindeki “Özgür Özel-CHP Genel Başkanı" yazısı, Anıtkabir görevlileri tarafında çıkarıldı.
Özel, çelengi mozoleye koyduktan sonra, cebinden “Özgür Özel-CHP Genel… pic.twitter.com/4vOIBuIQKl
Arriving next to the official wreath already present at the mausoleum, Özgür Özel placed the ribbon with his name on it onto the official wreath and observed a moment of silence with the participants.
At the end of the moment of silence, the soldier on duty moved to remove the placed ribbon from the official wreath. Noticing the situation, Özel took the paper from the soldier's hand and handed it to his security detail, then left the mausoleum area.
Pausing briefly on the steps of Anıtkabir in front of the inscription "Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation," the CHP Chairman took a group photo with the citizens. The visit ended without incident, despite the occasional overcrowding due to high participation.