Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rallied thousands of his supporters in Istanbul, just hours after a crackdown on anti-government protesters in Taksim Square.The rally came as riot police continued to fire tear gas and jets of water at pockets of demonstrators determined to regroup after being evicted from Gezi Park.Some six miles away from Taksim Square, buses unloaded loyal supporters of Mr Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) for an election rally billed as a show of strength.
Tens of thousands of supporters of Mr Ergodan have rallied in Istanbul
“May the hands that touch the police be broken … the people are here, where are the looters?” the supporters chanted.
The show of force by supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan came as police launched a violent crackdown on protesters opposed the government in another part of the city, using tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. The renewed unrest began overnight when police moved in forcibly to clear the camp at Gezi Park in Istanbul which has been the focus of anti-government protests. Within hours, large crowds took to the streets in support of the protesters, converging on the adjacent Taksim Square from all over the city…. As he spoke, across town police were firing tear gas at anyone who set foot in the streets around Taksim.