New Turkey rally ahead of PM return
Thousands of Turkish protesters are pouring into Istanbul's
Taksim Square, ahead of the prime minister's return from a North Africa
tour.
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6 June 2013
Last updated at 19:36 GMT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described some of the protesters as "extremists"
Earlier, Mr Erdogan vowed to press ahead with controversial plans to redevelop a park in Istanbul.
A local environmental protest against the proposal spiralled into nationwide political unrest seven days ago.
The original sit-in at Gezi Park mushroomed after police cracked down on activists defending the green space near Istanbul's Taksim Square from developers.
For days, demonstrators in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities have been calling for the three-term prime minister to quit.
'Extremists' Mr Erdogan is due to return from Tunisia on Thursday evening after a four-day visit to North Africa.
Speaking in Tunis earlier, he acknowledged that police had used "excessive force" against activists at the original sit-in. But he said that a small group of extremists was now manipulating what had started as an environmental protest.
"Among the protesters, there are extremists, some of them implicated in terrorism," he told reporters.
Mr Erdogan also defended the urban development plan for Gezi Park.
"The project respects [Turkey's] history, culture and environment," he said. "What we are doing is to protect the rights of the majority and to preserve the beauty of Istanbul."
Four people including a police officer are reported to have died, thousands have been injured and hundreds arrested in the unrest.
Among those detained were seven foreigners from France, Germany, Greece, Iran and the US, Turkey confirmed on Thursday.
Protesters accuse Mr Erdogan's government of becoming increasingly authoritarian and trying to impose conservative Islamic values on a secular state.
His ruling Justice and Development Party has governed Turkey since 2002, winning a series of election victories.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described some of the protesters as "extremists"
Thousands
of Turkish anti-government protesters are gathering in Istanbul's
Taksim Square, ahead of the return of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan from a North African tour.
They are calling for his resignation, correspondents in the square say.Earlier, Mr Erdogan vowed to press ahead with controversial plans to redevelop a park in Istanbul.
A local environmental protest against the proposal spiralled into nationwide political unrest seven days ago.
The original sit-in at Gezi Park mushroomed after police cracked down on activists defending the green space near Istanbul's Taksim Square from developers.
For days, demonstrators in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities have been calling for the three-term prime minister to quit.
'Extremists' Mr Erdogan is due to return from Tunisia on Thursday evening after a four-day visit to North Africa.
Speaking in Tunis earlier, he acknowledged that police had used "excessive force" against activists at the original sit-in. But he said that a small group of extremists was now manipulating what had started as an environmental protest.
The BBC's Jeremy Bowen in Istanbul: "Gezi Park is a political carnival"
Mr Erdogan also defended the urban development plan for Gezi Park.
"The project respects [Turkey's] history, culture and environment," he said. "What we are doing is to protect the rights of the majority and to preserve the beauty of Istanbul."
Four people including a police officer are reported to have died, thousands have been injured and hundreds arrested in the unrest.
Among those detained were seven foreigners from France, Germany, Greece, Iran and the US, Turkey confirmed on Thursday.
Protesters accuse Mr Erdogan's government of becoming increasingly authoritarian and trying to impose conservative Islamic values on a secular state.
His ruling Justice and Development Party has governed Turkey since 2002, winning a series of election victories.
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