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Turkish government supporters gather in Istanbul |
Tens of thousands of Turkish government supporters were expected to gather in Istanbul on Sunday, AFP news agency reported, as riot police used tear gas and water cannon late Saturday in clashes with anti-government protesters.The police were attempting to reclaim Istanbul’s Gezi Park from demonstrators occupying what had become the symbolic heart of nationwide protests.
Earlier, Erdogan had issued an ultimatum to the protesters telling them to quit the park, adding that pro-government protesters would rally in Istanbul on Sunday.
“We have an Istanbul rally tomorrow (Sunday),” the premier told tens of thousands of supporters at an election rally for his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Ankara.
“Let me put it clearly: empty Taksim. If it is not evacuated, this country’s security forces know how to evacuate there,” he told cheering loyalists.
“Nobody can intimidate us,” he added. “We don’t take orders or instructions from anybody except from God.”
Istanbul governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu said 44 people had been injured in Saturday’s unrest, none seriously.
Shortly before dismantling the park, police armed with riot shields and wearing gas masks also fired salvos of tear gas and water to disperse hundreds of demonstrators from Taksim Square, which borders Gezi Park.
While many Gezi Park demonstrators sought refuge in nearby five-star hotels, pockets of protesters continued to battle with police into the night.
Thousands also took to the streets in the capital Ankara and the western city of Izmir Saturday, but there were no reports of clashes.
Mey Elbi, a 39-year-old yoga teacher, was in Gezi park when police entered.
"They took our goggles and gas masks," she told AFP.
"I won't give up," she vowed. "We're angry, this is not over. The world has seen that together, we can stand up to Tayyip." After days of taking a combative stance against the demonstrators, dismissing them as "looters" and "extremists", Erdoğan had made an unexpected conciliatory gesture in late-night talks with protesters Friday.
He agreed to abide by a court-ordered suspension of Gezi Park's redevelopment and said that if the court deemed the project legal, he would hold a referendum on plans to rebuild Ottoman-era military barracks on the site. But the Taksim Solidarity group on Saturday rejected the proposals, vowing to continue their resistance.Hmmm.......Turkish PM Erdogan in Speech During Term As Istanbul Mayor Attacks Turkey's Constitution, Describing it As 'A Huge Lie': 'Sovereignty Belongs Unconditionally and Always To Allah'; 'One Cannot Be a Muslim, and Secular' Read the full storyhere.