The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has been divided since the Supreme Court ruled on March 30 that Nelson Chamisa was not its legitimate leader and installed Thokozani Khupe, head of one faction of the party, to lead it in the interim.
Most MDC members still regard Chamisa as their leader and accuse President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government of siding with Khupe's faction in the battle for control of the movement.
Supporters of Khupe seized control of the party's offices at Harvest House in central Harare late on Thursday while police watched, a video of the incident circulated by the MDC showed.
Anti-riot police on Friday cordoned off the building, which has stood as a symbol of the MDC's fight against Mnangagwa's ruling ZANU-PF party for the past 20 years
Some MDC officials, led by party vice president Tendai Biti, then tried to enter Harvest House.
Chamisa, 42, says his party is different from Khupe's outfit after it contested elections in 2018 under the name MDC Alliance while Khupe's ran as the MDC-T party.
