Street protests erupted against Turkey's conservative government

 

 

Tourists warned to steer clear of Turkey after riots rock Istanbul.  Thousands took to the streets in rallies and demonstrations in three cities. Police responded with batons, tear gas and water cannon. Britons warned to avoid all but essential travel to parts of Turkey. Police retreat comes after PM pledged to stand firm in Taksim Square. Britons were yesterday warned to avoid all but essential travel to parts of Turkey because of anti-government demonstrations. The Foreign Office said on its website: ‘Demonstrations are taking place in Istanbul and in other cities across Turkey, including Ankara. ‘Police are using tear gas and water cannon in response. We advise British nationals to avoid all demonstrations.’ Victory? Protestors arrive in Taksim Square after police pull back following fierce clashes on the second day of violent protests over a development project which turned into a wider protest against the government Carnage: A Turkish protester wears a gas mask and holds a stone as demonstrators face riot police Fury: Some protesters hurled rocks and fireworks at the withdrawing police, prompting officers to fire several rounds of tear gas to push back the crowds flooding into Taksim Square Smashed: Turkish riot police are seen through a shattered and barred shop window Yesterday Turkish police clashed with protesters trying to reach Taksim Square in Istanbul for the second day  of an anti-government rally. An Association of British Travel Agents spokesman said most tourist resorts are in coastal areas away from the protests. Turkish police beat a retreat from a main Istanbul square today after 36 hours of intense street fighting with anti-government protesters. Some protesters hurled rocks and fireworks at the withdrawing police, prompting officers to fire several rounds of tear gas to push back the crowds flooding into Taksim Square. The police retreat follows two days of violence spurred by a vicious police raid on a sit-in protest staged to prevent a planned development at one of Istanbul's few remaining parks. Demonstrations following the raid turned into a wider protest against the government of prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his his Islamist-leaning government, who are seen as becoming increasingly authoritarian. Turkey banned alcohol advertising and increased restrictions on alcohol sales last month in a move which angered secularists who accuse the government of having an Islamic agenda. The protests have seen police fire teargas and water cannon down a major shopping street as crowds of protesters chanting 'unite against fascism' and 'government resign' marched towards Taksim, where hundreds were injured in clashes yesterday. A police helicopter buzzed overhead as groups of mostly young men and women, bandanas or surgical masks tied around their mouths, used Facebook and Twitter on mobile phones to try to organise and regroup in side streets. Waiters scurried out of luxury hotels lining the square, on what should be a busy tourist weekend in one of the world's most visited cities, ferrying lemons to protesters, who squirted the juice in their eyes to mitigate the effects of tear gas. A few thousand people earlier marched along the Bosporus Bridge from the Asian shore of the city, toward Taksim, on the European side, but were met with pressurised water and tear gas that filled the air in a thick cloud of smoke. Protesters chant slogans against the government: There is anger against the perceived increasing authoritarianism of the Islamist-leaning government of prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Crackdown: A Turkish riot policeman fires a tear gas grenade to disperse demonstrators earlier today 'People from different backgrounds are coming together. This has become a protest against the government, against Erdogan taking decisions like a king,' said Oral Goktas, a 31-year old architect among a peaceful crowd walking towards Taksim. Stone-throwing protesters also clashed with police firing tear gas in the Kizilay district of central Ankara as a helicopter hovered overhead. Further protests were planned in other centres including the Aegean coastal city of Izmir. Police fire gas and watercannon protesters on the street Massive protest march across Istanbul bridge Crackdown: Clouds of tear gas envelop the crowds in central Istanbul's Taksim Square as police move in to clear protests against a planned development on one of the city's last remaining green spaces Whose streets? Riot police use a water cannon to disperse the crowd during the anti-government protest. Scores of people were wounded yesterday as police moved into clear protesters in Istanbul and other cities Turkish riot police move in to secure Istiklal Street after clashes with protesters: The protest grew out of anger at police's heavy-handed tactics to break up a peaceful sit-in to protect a park in Taksim Square yesterday PROTESTS REFLECT WIDER CONCERN OVER GOVERNMENT The violent clashes between protestors and police reflect increasing concerns over the direction of the Turkish government. Demonstrations in Taksim Square have turned into a wider protest against prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-leaning government, which is seen as becoming increasingly authoritarian. Turkey banned alcohol advertising and increased restrictions on alcohol sales last month in a move which angered secularists who accuse the government of having an Islamic agenda. It followed a move forbidding female flight attendants at Turkey’s national airline from wearing red lipstick and nail polish. Turkey has remained a secular constitution since the modernising reforms of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who threw religion out of public life in the 1920s and 1930s as he rebuilt Turkey from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. The powerful military views itself as the ultimate guarantor of Turkey's secular order and has ousted four democratically elected governments in the past 50 years, most recently in 1997 when with public support it drove out a cabinet it viewed as too Islamist. The current government, led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is run by the Muslim AK party which has its roots in a banned Islamic movement. Under Erdogan’s leadership the country has relaxed restrictions on religious expression, including lifting the ban on head scarves in courts and schools. Earlier, Mr Erdogan had called on demonstrators to to end anti-government protests now into a second day. In a televised speech, Mr Erdogan admitted police may have used tear gas excessively while confronting protesters and said this would be investigated But he remained defiant, insisting police would break down protests Taksim Square and indicating that the government would press ahead with the redevelopment plans that sparked the demonstrations. The demonstration at Taksim's Gezi Park started late on Monday after trees were torn up to make way for the redevelopment which includes plans for a new shopping centre and Ottoman-themed army barracks. Police moved into the park in the early hours of yesterday morning to break up the peaceful protest with batons and tear gas. Mr Erdogan said said the issue was being used as an excuse to stoke tensions. 'Every four years we hold elections and this nation makes its choice,' he said in a speech broadcast on television. 'Those who have a problem with government's policies can express their opinions within the framework of law and democracy ... I am asking the protesters to immediately end these actions,' he said. The opposition accused him of behaving like a dictator. 'Tens of thousands are saying no, they are opposing the dictator ... The fact that you are the ruling party doesn't mean you can do whatever you want,' said Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main pro-secular opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). Ozturk Turkdogan, the head of the Turkish Human Rights Association, said hundreds of people in several cities were injured in the police crackdown and a few hundred people were arrested. Protesters run for cover as tear gas canisters are fired in to the crowd at Taksim Square: The unrest reflects growing disquiet at the authoritarianism of the governing Justice and Development Party A demonstrator throws a tear gas canister back at riot police: The violence erupted after a police raid on protesters who had been camped out in an effort to foil plans to build a new Ottoman-themed shopping centre He came equipped: An activist wearing a gas mask stands in a cloud of tear gas as police used water cannons and irritant agents to disperse demonstrators at the rally Street fighting: Demonstrators set fire to barricades as they clash with riot police during the anti-government protest which continued into the night Thousands of demonstrators massed yesterday on streets surrounding Taksim Square, long a venue for political unrest, while protests erupted in the capital, Ankara, and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir. Broken glass and rocks were strewn across a main shopping street near Taksim. Primary school children ran crying from the clouds of tear gas, while tourists caught by surprise scurried to get back to their nearby luxury hotels. BRITONS TOLD TO AVOID DEMOS The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to parts of Turkey in the light of anti-government demonstrations. Britons have been warned not to get involved in the protests. The travel advice was changed today, with the message on the Foreign Office website reading: 'Demonstrations are taking place in Istanbul and in other cities across Turkey, including Ankara. 'Police are using tear gas and water cannons in response. We advise British nationals to avoid all demonstrations.' More than 2,500,000 British nationals visit Turkey every year, according to the Foreign Office. The unrest reflects growing disquiet at the perceived authoritarianism of Mr Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP). Riot police clashed with tens of thousands of May Day protesters in Istanbul this month. There have also been protests against the government's stance on the conflict in neighbouring Syria, a tightening of restrictions on alcohol sales and warnings against public displays of affection. 'We do not have a government, we have Tayyip Erdogan. ... Even AK Party supporters are saying they have lost their mind, they are not listening to us,' said Koray Caliskan, a political scientist at Bosphorus University, who attended the protest. 'This is the beginning of a summer of discontent.' 'This isn't just about trees any more, it's about all of the pressure we're under from this government. We're fed up, we don't like the direction the country is headed in,' said 18-year-old student Mert Burge. He said he had come to support the protesters after reading on Twitter about the police use of tear gas, adding: 'We will stay here tonight and sleep on the street if we have to.' Thousands chanting for the government to resign gathered at a park in the centre of Ankara, where police earlier fired tear gas to disperse several dozen opposition supporters trying to reach the AKP headquarters. Protesters also rallied at two locations in Izmir, according to pictures on social media. Anti-government protesters shout slogans as they clash with riot police in central Ankara: Solidarity protests erupted in the Turkish capital and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir as news spread of police brutality An anti-government protester throws stones at riot police: Thousands chanting for the government to resign gathered in the centre of Ankara, where police earlier fired tear gas to disperse opposition supporters Streets of rage: An anti-government protester sits in front of rubbish set on fire by protesters in Ankara A woman runs away as anti-government protesters clash with riot police: Amnesty International said it was concerned by 'the use of excessive force' by the police A Turkish woman of Palestinian origin was in a critical condition after being hit by a police gas canister, hospital sources said. The 34-year-old, who doctors had earlier identified as Egyptian, was undergoing an operation after suffering a brain haemorrhage. A total of 12 people, including a pro-Kurdish MP and a Reuters photographer, suffered trauma injuries and hundreds suffered respiratory problems due to tear gas, doctors said. Some people were injured when a wall they were climbing collapsed as they tried to flee clouds of tear gas. Amnesty International said it was concerned by 'the use of excessive force' by the police against what had started out as a peaceful protest. Ria Oomen-Ruijten, the European parliament rapporteur on Turkey, also voiced concern. In Washington, the U.S. State Department said it was concerned with the number of injuries and was gathering its own information on the incident. 'We believe that Turkey's long-term stability, security and prosperity is best guaranteed by upholding the fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly and association, which is what it seems these individuals were doing,' said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. Fierce: Turks set up fires and barricades, and battled Turkish police late into the night in Istanbul as well Fight the power: In Washington, the U.S. State Department said it was concerned with the number of injuries inflicted on the Turkish protesters and was gathering its own information on the incident Interior Minister Muammer Guler promised that allegations that police had used disproportionate force would be investigated. Mr Erdogan has overseen a transformation in Turkey during his decade in power, turning its economy from crisis-prone into Europe's fastest-growing. Per-capita income has tripled in nominal terms since his party rose to power. He remains by far Turkey's most popular politician, and is widely viewed as its most powerful leader since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk founded the modern secular republic on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire 90 years ago. But Mr Erdogan brooks little dissent. Hundreds of military officers have been jailed for plotting a coup against him in recent years. Academics, journalists, politicians and others face trial on similar charges. He has made no secret of his ambition to run for the presidency in elections next year when his term as prime minister ends, increasing opposition dismay. 'These people will not bow down to you' read one banner at the Gezi Park protest, alongside a cartoon of Mr Erdogan wearing an Ottoman emperor's turban. A grab from a video taken in Gezi Park, Istanbul, as riot police enter and clear the park: The police operation to clear the part of a sit-in protest was what sparked the mass demonstrations across Turkey yesterday Dissent: 'Occupy Gezi' - a reference to protests in New York and London last year - was a top-trending hashtag on Twitter yesterday Secular Turks are increasingly angry at the increased authoritarianism of the ruling AKP party, whose policies are Islamist in tone In a televised speech, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan admitted police may have used tear gas excessively while confronting protesters and said this would be investigated Postings on social media including Twitter, where 'Occupy Gezi' - a reference to protests in New York and London last year - was a top-trending hashtag, and Facebook said similar demonstrations were planned for the next few days in other Turkish cities including Ankara, Izmir, Adana and Bursa. 'Kiss protests,' in which demonstrators are urged to lock lips, had already been planned for Istanbul and Ankara this weekend after subway officials were reported to have admonished a couple for kissing in public a week ago. Mr Erdogan is pushing ahead with a slew of multibillion-dollar projects he sees as embodying Turkey's emergence as a major power. They include a shipping canal, a giant mosque and a third Istanbul airport billed to be one of the world's biggest. Speaking a few miles from Gezi Park at the launch on Wednesday of construction of a third bridge linking Istanbul's European and Asian shores, Mr Erdogan vowed to pursue plans to redevelop Taksim Square. Architects, leftist parties, academics, city planners and others have long opposed the plans, saying they lacked consultation with civic groups and would remove one of central Istanbul's few green spaces. Why picking a fight with a water cannon is not a good idea: Istanbul protester hurled to the ground during clash with police A video posted online showed Turkish police firing water cannon at one furious protester during yesterday's massive street demonstrations in Istanbul - with devastating results The video shows a burly protester goading police riding in a vehicle equipped with a water cannon. He taunts the officers inside, standing with his arms spread as if daring them to turn the weapon on him. Scroll down for video Fury: A Turkish protester goads riot police riding in a truck equipped with a water cannon Charge: In his anger he even tries to beat the side of the armoured vehicle with his bare hands High pressure: After he steps back into the water cannon's firing line, the police turn it on him Downed: The heavy-set man is flung back several feet, and others nearby run to his aid He even charges at the armoured truck and beats it with his bare hands. When he steps back into the line of fire of the water cannon they turn the high-pressure hose on him, knocking him head over heels and hurling him back several feet. Apparently badly injured by the spray he lies motionless on the ground and several people rush to give him first aid. The police then turn the water cannon on them as well.       In her red cotton summer dress and necklace, white bag slung over her shoulder, she might have been floating across the lawn at a garden party. But behind her crouches a masked policeman firing noxious tear gas spray that sends her curly hair billowing upwards. Endlessly shared on social media and recreated as artwork on posters and stickers, the image of the woman in red has become the leitmotif for female protesters during days of violent anti-government riots in Istanbul. Iconic: The woman in red turns as the policeman showers her in pepper spray at close range This is what democracy looks like: This combination of photos shows how the unknown woman first faces off with the massed ranks of riot police before one steps forward to spray the gas right into her face Standing up for her rights: The brave woman is forced to retreat coughing and spluttering as the gas-wielding riot policeman goes on to spray the crowds of demonstrators behind her, leaving them in agony. It has thrust Turkish academic Ceyda Sungar into the limelight but she says her experience is typical of people in her country who fight for their rights. Ms Sungar, an academic in city planning at Istanbul Technical University, told Turkish newspaper Radikal: 'Every citizen defending their urban rights, every worker defending their human rights, and every student defending university rights has witnessed the police violence I experience.' The academic, who part of the Taksim Solidarity Platform protesting against the redevelopment of the park, has since declined further interviews as she is believed to be uncomfortable with her position as the focal point of the movement. But it has become a galvanising force for feloow protestors. 'That photo encapsulates the essence of this protest,' says maths student Esra at Besiktas, near the Bosphorus strait - one of the many centres of this week's protests. 'The violence of the police against peaceful protesters, people just trying to protect themselves and what they value.' In one artist's rendering which has been plastered on walls in Istanbul and elsewhere the woman appears much bigger than the policeman. 'The more you spray the bigger we get', reads the slogan next to it. Tear gas: Policemen, protected by gas masks, walk through a dense cloud of the noxious substance as they charge protestors Under fire: Police shoots tear gas at demonstrators near Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office Conflict: A protestor tries to prevent his friend from reaching a police water cannon during the clashes Angry scenes: Turkish riot police detain a protester during a rally. More than 2,300 people have been injured and one person killed during four days of fierce clashes Tensions: Hundreds of protestors clash with Turkish riot policemen on the way to Taksim Square in Istanbul Dangerous: A demonstrator goes to throw a bottle as fireworks go off behind him and illuminate he street where other protestors have gathered     Divided: A masked man tries to avoid a missile, left, while another protestor is led away by riot police TURKEY: Fifth night of riots. Government apologises for police... The U.S. and the European Union as well as human rights groups have expressed concern about the heavy-handed action of Turkish police against protesters. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan branded the protesters on Monday extremists 'living arm in arm with terrorism', a description that seems to sit ill with the image of the woman in red. Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc has apologised for police violence and was due to meet organisers of the demonstration against plans to build a replica Ottoman-era barracks on Istanbul's Gezi Park in Taksim Square. British student Melisa Kenber said she was sprayed with tear gas as she tried to film the demonstrations But he refuses to talk to unnamed groups he accuses of exploiting anger over police action against the original protest to foment broader violence. He is in control of the government after Prime Minister Erdogan flew off to a state visit to north Africa on Monday. Erdogan did not comment on domestic matters at a news conference in Algiers on Tuesday. Arinc apologised for 'excessive violence' by police against the initial Taksim demonstration, which contrasted sharply with Erdogan's dismissal of the protesters as 'looters' and comments linking some to 'terrorism'. President Abdullah Gul has also made markedly more restrained comments on the protests. Pro-government newspapers signalled a softening of Ankara's line today and the Sabeh newspaper's front-page read 'Olive Branch'. Today thousands of people remained at a makeshift camp at Taksim, which has become a focal point of the demonstrations. Small tents have appeared, food and face masks are on sale and a library is being created. British student Melisa Kenber, 19, said she was chased by police wielding tear gas canisters after she filmed the protests. The Leeds University student from Ripon, North Yorkshire, was visiting family in Istanbul when she became caught up in the protests. As she started to video the police they yelled, 'No pictures, no pictures,' and ran after her until she reached her car, her eyes streaming from the gas. Miss Kenber said: 'I go to Istanbul every year but this time I went, before it all kicked off, I had never hear people so frustrated and angry and complain about the government. 'It was like a bomb waiting to go off. The final straw was at Taksim Square. 'There were thousands of people there, listening to bands and talking, it was a really nice atmosphere. 'But just before dawn police arrived with canisters of gas and water bombs.' Police have arrested 25 people for 'spreading untrue information' on social media and provoking protests. Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu Agency said today the people were detained in the city of Izmir for allegedly 'inciting the people to enmity and hate.' It said police were still looking for 13 others. The day after: Women pass damaged windows in Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, the morning after mass protests in the city     Damage: Windows were smashed during the violent clashes between police and anti-government protestors Tens of thousands of Turks have joined anti-government protests expressing discontent with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 10-year rule. Turkey's main broadcast media have been criticized for shunning the coverage of police brutality at the protest onset on Friday. Many people turned to social media to keep up to date with the developments. Erdogan, who has dismissed the protests as demonstrations organized by an extremist fringe, has referred to the social media as "'he worst menace to society.' Clashes spread overnight to the eastern province of Tunceli, where police fired tear gas and water cannon at hundreds of protesters who set up barricades and threw stones at them, witnesses said. Police intervened in a similar way against demonstrators in the capital, Ankara, as well in Hatay province on the Syrian border where a 22-year-old man died after being hit in the head at a rally late on Monday. The DISK union confederation, including unions in the metalworking, health and energy sectors, was due to stage a walkout on Wednesday, joining another labour confederation in a protest against the government. Last night, some protestors dressed in more combative gear and sporting face masks as they threw stones, but the large number of very young women in Besiktas and on Taksim Square where the protests began on Friday evening is notable. Unafraid: A protestor takes a rest during ongoing demonstrations against the government and alleged police brutality Take cover: A protester ducks down as fireworks explode during continuing anti-government demonstrations that have overwhelmed Turkey Whose streets? Protesters wear scarves over their faces as demonstrations against the government, police brutality and the destruction of a city park for a development project continue in Istanbul Carnival atmosphere: The glow of red flares illuminates the scene as protesters stand outside in Istanbul tonight. The brutal response of police has raised concerns from the U.S., the EU and human rights groups Fervent secularism: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Monday branded the protesters, who have fought street battles with since Friday, extremists 'living arm in arm with terrorism' On the march: The streets near Taksim Square in Istanbul are filled with tear gas as riot police, dressed in helmets and carrying shield, run towards protesters Running for safety: Protestors flee from police as they are sprayed with water cannon during the demonstrations With swimming goggles and flimsy surgical masks against the teargas, light tasselled scarves hanging around their necks, Esra, Hasine and Secil stand apprehensively in the Besiktas district on Monday evening. They are joined by ever growing numbers of youngsters as dusk falls and the mood grows more sombre. They belong, as perhaps does the woman in red, to the ranks of young, articulate women who believe they have something to lose in Erdogan's Turkey. They feel threatened by his promotion of the Islamic headscarf, symbol of female piety. Many of the women point to new abortion laws as a sign that Erdogan, who has advised Turkish women to each have three children, wants to roll back women's rights and push them into traditional, pious roles. 'I respect women who wear the headscarf, that is their right, but I also want my rights to be protected,' says Esra. 'I'm not a leftist or an anti-capitalist. I want to be a business woman and live in a free Turkey.' Barricade: Men wearing masks and the Turkish flag sift through bricks and rubble as they set a barricage against police Confrontation: One man crouches in front of hastily set up barricade and hundreds of masked protestors look on Coming to a street near you soon: Riot police use water cannons to disperse anti-government protesters in Istanbul. UK police have procured several such weapons to deal with expected protests in London Street fighting: Crowds of protesters equipped with builders' hard hats and other protective gear battle police Civil disorder: Tear gas and water fill the air as police attempt to clear protesters on a fifth day of rioting Retreat and regroup: Demonstrators flee the high-pressure spray of a water cannon in an Istanbul street A taste of their own medicine: A man hurls a tear gas canister back at police lines during protests in Istanbul Daring: A brave protester walks towards police lines during a stand-off between demonstrators and police. Erdogan, who has won three successive elections and has a huge parliamentary majority, has been accused of taking an authoritarian turn after initial economic advances and early democratic reform. Leader: Erdogan, a pious man who denies Islamist ambitions for Turkey, rejects any suggestion he wants to cajole anyone into religious observance Critics accuse him of pursuing an 'Islamist' agenda by easing restrictions on the wearing of headscarves in state institutions, limiting alcohol sales and promoting broader religious projects. Erdogan denies any ambition to undermine Turkey's secular constitution. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the secular republic formed in 1923 on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire, encouraged women to wear Western clothes rather than headscarves and promoted the image of the professional woman. Ironically, Erdogan is seen these days as, for better or worse, the most dominant Turkish leader since Ataturk. After first sweeping to power in in 2002, he remains unrivalled in popularity, drawing on strong support in the conservative Anatolian heartland. The weekend demonstrations in dozens of cities suggest however his popularity may be dwindling, at least among middle classes who swung behind him in the early years of political and economic reform that cut back the power of the army and introduced some rights amendments. 'Erdogan says 50 percent of the people voted for him. I'm here to show I belong to the other 50 percent, the half of the population whose feelings he showed no respect for, the ones he is trying to crush,' says chemistry student Hasine. 'I want to have a future here in Turkey, a career, a freedom to live my life. But all these are under threat. I want Erdogan to understand,' she adds. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden last night said only Turks can solve the problem of anti-government protests sowing unrest in Turkey. But he says the U.S. is concerned and isn't indifferent to the outcome. Ready for action: A gas mask-clad protester carries a dustbin lid as a shield during clashes with police near Prime Minister Erdogan's office, between Taksim and Besiktas, in the early hours of Tuesday morning Manning the barricades: Many young Turks are worried about the introduction of new, apparently Islamic-inspired laws brought in by Erdogan, who has strong support in the conservative Anatolian heartland A man holds a flag bearing the image of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded modern, secular Turkey on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire in 1923 and encouraged the country to throw off its religious traditions Speaking at at the American-Turkish Council's annual conference, which was attended by one of Turkey's deputy prime ministers, Mr Biden said the U.S. supports free assembly, a free press and non-violence by government and demonstrators. He added that Turkey mustn't choose between democracy and economic progress. He also said the U.S. and Turkey sometimes disagree on tactics but share common goals, like a two-state solution in Israel, a non-nuclear Iran and a nonsectarian Syria. Protesters are coming better prepared now than when the unrest first began. Some have hard-hats, some are dressed all in black, most wear running shoes. But many are dressed as femininely as the girl in the red dress snapped on Taksim Square. 'Of course I'm nervous and I know I could be in danger here,' said 23 year-old economics student Busra, who says her parents support her protest. 'But for me that is nothing compared to the danger of losing the Turkish Republic, its freedoms and spirit.' Drenched: A group of young women are hit with a high-pressure spray from a water cannon during demonstrations in Ankara yesterday. The crackdown has left two dead and more than 1,000 injured Come prepared: Three women shout slogans against the government in Ankara. Around their necks they wear masks to put on in the event that police respond to their demonstration by firing tear gas canisters Determined: Women shout slogans against the government on a bright sunny day in Istanbul yesterday   A protest in Istanbul, Turkey, that began as a relatively small event earlier in the week, erupted into massive anti-government demonstrations across the country following a harsh crackdown by riot police. People had gathered in Gezi Park to prevent the demolition of the last remaining green public space in the center of Istanbul as part of a major renewal project. Pent-up anger against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party flared up after the violent breakup of the Gezi Park protest, fueling the fiercest anti-government demonstrations in years. Yesterday, more than a thousand protesters were arrested in 90 different demonstrations across Turkey. Prime Minister Erdogan has issued several defiant and dismissive messages, urging demonstrators to go home -- which they appear to be ignoring, as thousands have gathered once again in Taksim Square today, starting a third day of protest. Riot police use tear gas to disperse the a during an anti-government protest in Taksim Square in central Istanbul, Turkey, on May 31, 2013. Turkish police fired tear gas and water cannons at demonstrators, wounding scores of people and prompting rallies in other cities in the fiercest anti-government protests for years. 2 People sit, hours before riot police use tear gas and pressurized water to quash a peaceful demonstration by hundreds of people staging a sit-in protest to try and prevent the demolition of trees at an Istanbul park. Police moved in at dawn Friday to disperse the crowd on the fourth day of the protest against a contentious government plan to revamp Istanbul's main square, injuring a number of protesters. The protesters are demanding that the square's park, Gezi, be protected. (AP Photo) # 3 A Turkish riot policeman sprays tear gas as people protest against the destruction of trees in a park brought about by a pedestrian project, in Taksim Square in central Istanbul, on May 28, 2013. (Reuters/Osman Orsal) # 4 A Turkish riot policeman sprays tear gas as people protest against the destruction of trees in a park brought in Taksim Square in Istanbul, on May 28, 2013. (Reuters/Osman Orsal) # 5 In this Thursday, May 30, 2013 photo, a man wears a make-shift gas-mask hours before riot police used tear gas and pressurized water to quash a peaceful demonstration by hundreds of people staging a sit-in protest to try and prevent the demolition of trees at an Istanbul park. (AP Photo) # 6 Protesters clash with Turkish riot policemen on May 31, 2013 during a protest against the demolition of the Taksim Gezi Park in Istanbul.(Gurcan Ozturk/AFP/Getty Images) # 7 Riot police use tear gas to disperse a crowd during an anti-government protest at Taksim Square, on May 31, 2013.(Reuters/Osman Orsal) # 8 Demonstrators flee from a water cannon during clashes with riot police, on May 31, 2013 during a protest in Taksim Square in Istanbul.(AFP/Getty Images) # 9 A Turkish riot policeman uses tear gas as a demonstrator holds a banner which reads, "Chemical Tayyip", referring to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, during a protest in Taksim Square, on May 31, 2013. (Reuters/Murad Sezer) # 10 Riot police use tear gas to disperse the crowd during an anti-government protest at Taksim Square, Istanbul, on May 31, 2013.(Reuters/Osman Orsal) # 11 A demonstrator throws a tear gas canister back toward riot police during an anti-government protest in central Istanbul, on May 31, 2013.(Reuters/Murad Sezer) # 12 A demonstrator reacts as riot police use a water cannon and tear gas to disperse the crowd in Taksim Square, on May 31, 2013.(Reuters/Murad Sezer) # 13 Riot police fire tear gas canisters in Taksim Square, on May 31, 2013. (Reuters/Murad Sezer) # 14 A man plants a tree in Istiklal street on June 1, 2013, during a protest against the demolition of Taksim Gezi Park in Istanbul.(Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images) # 15 Protesters arrive in Taksim Square on June 1, 2013 after clashing with riot police in Istanbul. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images) # 16 Supporters of Turkey's Communist Party (TKP) shout slogans during an anti-government protest at Taksim square, on June 1, 2013.(Reuters/Murad Sezer) # 17 A police officer fires tear gas toward protesters in Taksim Square in Istanbul, on June 1, 2013. (AP Photo) # 18 Tear gas spreads among demonstrators in Taksim square, on June 1, 2013. (Reuters/Murad Sezer) # 19 A woman opens her arms as police use a water cannon to disperse protesters on June 1, 2013 during a protest in Istanbul.(Fatih Kece/AFP/Getty Images) # 20 Tear gas surrounds a protester holding a Turkish flag with a portrait of the founder of modern Turkey Mustafa Kemal Ataturk as he takes part in a demonstration in support of protests in Istanbul and against the Turkish Prime Minister and his ruling Justice and Development Party, in Ankara, on June 1, 2013. (Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images) # 21 A woman runs past riot police hiding behind their shields during clashes with demonstrators protesting against Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party in central Ankara, on June 1, 2013. (Reuters/Umit Bektas) # 22 Riot police and security men confront protesters at the city's main Taksim Square, on June 1, 2013. (AP Photo) # 23 Riot police use tear gas to disperse a crowd during an anti-government protest in Istanbul, on June 1, 2013. (Reuters/Murad Sezer) # 24 A man is struck by a jet of water as riot police use a water cannon to disperse demonstrators during a protest against Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in central Ankara, on June 1, 2013. (Reuters/Umit Bektas) # 25 Riot police help a woman affected by tear gas fired during clashes with demonstrators in Ankara, on June 1, 2013.(Reuters/Umit Bektas) # 26 An injured riot police officer is carried to an ambulance during clashes with demonstrators in Ankara, on June 1, 2013.(Reuters/Umit Bektas) # 27 Riot police behind shields fire tear gas as they clash with anti-government protesters in Taksim square, on June 1, 2013.(Reuters/Murad Sezer) # 28 A bleeding protester is assisted as demonstrators clash with riot police on June 1, 2013, in Istanbul. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images) # 29 A security officer in Istanbul's Taksim Square on June 1, 2013. (AP Photo) # 30 An injured demonstrator is carried to an ambulance during clashes with riot police in Ankara, on June 1, 2013. (Reuters/Umit Bektas) # 31 An injured man is helped as Turkish protesters clash with riot police near the former Ottoman palace, Dolmabahce, where Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan maintains an office in Istanbul, late Saturday, June 1, 2013. (AP Photo) # 32 Turkish protesters confront riot police near the former Ottoman palace, Dolmabahce, in Istanbul, on June 1, 2013. (AP Photo) # 33 Riot police spray a water cannon at Turkish protesters near the former Ottoman palace, Dolmabahce, in Istanbul, on June 1, 2013.(AP Photo) # 34 Protesters clash with riot police between Taksim and Besiktas in Istanbul, late on June 1, 2013. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images) # 35 A street vendor sells umbrellas in front of destroyed police cars in Taskim square in Istanbul, early on Sunday, June 2, 2013.(AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) # 36 Protesters gather for the third day of nationwide anti-government protest at the Taskim square in Istanbul, on Sunday, June 2, 2013.(AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)