A session of the Turkish Parliament (TBMM) yesterday on the subject of the acceptance of the new TUBITAK law was the scene for a fistfight between ruling Justice and Development (AKP) Party and opposition Republican People's (CHP) Party members. When AKP MP Resul Rosun accused CHP MPs of being "against Islam," the tension in the TBMM rose between the two majority parties.

When CHP members started calling back "How can you call us anti-Islam," punches were thrown by CHP MP Hashim Oral and a group of AKP MPs. No one was hurt during the fisticuffs, though the TBMM took a 10 minute break from the session for order to be restored. Following the break, CHP MP group leader Ali Topuz took the floor to comment on people he claimed "used" and "lived off of" Islam in Turkey, saying: "There are all people with no honor, low people. But not one of these people belongs to the CHP Party." With these words from Topuz, the AKP MPs in the TBMM again rose to their feet in anger, though no new fist fights occured.