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Turkish Riot Police Move On Protesters In Taksim Square

June 11, 2013
by RFE/RL

In Turkey, hundreds of riot police have moved past barricades into Istanbul's Taksim Square, which antigovernment protesters have been occupying for more than a week.

Police have fired tear gas and stun grenades and are using water cannons to push protesters out of the square.

A small number of protesters have responded with fire bombs and fireworks.

The protests are the most significant challenge to the government by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) since it came to power a decade ago.

Erdogan on June 11 told lawmakers in the capital, Ankara, that the demonstrations have been hijacked by people with destructive political agendas. He described them as 'efforts to distort Turkey's image have been put in place as part of a systematic plan.'
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He called on demonstrators to withdraw from Gezi Park, located in Istanbul's main Taksim Square, where the protests had initially begun.

'I urge the young people, who I believe are there with sincere feelings, to put an end to this protest,' he said. 'And I call on those who insist on continuing: This is over. We won't put up with this any longer.'

The prime minister said some people took advantage of the protests to cause vandalism, damaging public and private properties and businesses in Istanbul and Ankara. Erdogan said the events targeted Turkey's economy.

Erdogan has agreed to meet on June 12 with antigovernment protesters, who see his rule as increasingly authoritarian.

But he said protesters with 'legitimate' demands should not be confused with those who want to damage Turkey's image.

Erdogan also criticized some foreign media for what he described as spreading misinformation about the events in Taksim Square.

The protests erupted on May 31 after a violent police crackdown on protesters demonstrating against a construction project in Taksim Square's Gezi Park.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: www.rferl.org/content/turkey-istanbul- protests/25013383.html

Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.