Erdogan condemns Turkey unrest
- 11 years ago
A riot policeman fires tear gas at anti-government demonstators in Istanbul on Saturday.
Violent clashes in the city continued for a second day, spreading to the capital Ankara and other cities.
What started on Monday as a sit-in to stop a redevelopment project at Taksim Sqaure has since sparked nationwide protests against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's government.
Erdogan's vowed to push ahead with the contentious redevelopment, and said the issue was being used as an excuse to stoke tensions.
(SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN, SAYING:
"I am asking the protesters to immediately end these actions so pedestrians, visitors and local shop keepers do not get injured any more."
But protesters on Saturday ignored his call to end the violence.
Medics said close to 1,000 people were injured in the clashes in Istanbul on Friday, the fiercest anti-government demonstrations for years.
Violent clashes in the city continued for a second day, spreading to the capital Ankara and other cities.
What started on Monday as a sit-in to stop a redevelopment project at Taksim Sqaure has since sparked nationwide protests against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's government.
Erdogan's vowed to push ahead with the contentious redevelopment, and said the issue was being used as an excuse to stoke tensions.
(SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN, SAYING:
"I am asking the protesters to immediately end these actions so pedestrians, visitors and local shop keepers do not get injured any more."
But protesters on Saturday ignored his call to end the violence.
Medics said close to 1,000 people were injured in the clashes in Istanbul on Friday, the fiercest anti-government demonstrations for years.