Turks tango in their gas

Turkish leader Recep Tayyip

Erdogan labelled Europe and America hypocrites as protesters continued their anti-government demonstrations by dancing the tango in gas masks.

A day after calling for both opponents and supporters to 'go home' and end the mass protests continuing across the country, the Prime Minister launched a broadside at countries who criticised the police's use of tear gas.

He asked 'where was the outrage over tear gas' used to disperse Occupy protesters in the US.

Protestors dance the tango at Gezi Park in Taksim Square, Istanbul, as the demonstrations showed no sign of abating

The protests began initially over the fate of Taksim Gezi Park, one of the last significant green spaces in the center of the city, and have continued through the week

The heavy-handed response of the police, Prime Minister Recep Erdogan and his government's increasingly authoritarian agenda has fuelled the violence

Mr Erdogan has rounded on the international criticism of the police force's use of tear gas on protesters

Speaking at an EU-Turkey conference in Istanbul, Mr Erdogan said the forceful methods used by Turkish riot police to quell protests against the demolition of an Istanbul park were little different from those used previously in the US and UK. 

He said that Turkey's democratic record was the best it had been in the country's history, and superior to that of many EU states.

 

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• Now DOGS are being tear-gassed: Heartbreaking images of pets caught in carnage as police target protestors for a fifth day in Turkey

'Similar protests have taken place in Britain, France, Germany and bigger ones in Greece. All of them are members of the European Union,' he said.

Thousands of angry Turks again took to the streets to join mass anti-government protests on Saturday, defying Mr Erdogan's call to end the worst civil unrest of his decade-long rule.

Protesters began arriving in Taksim Square with food and blankets to settle in for a weekend of demonstrations, adding to the growing tent city in nearby Gezi Park.

The continued unrest came following a conference in the city, were Stefan Fuele, the enlargement commissioner, was speaking ahead of talks on Turkey's longtime ambition to join the EU.

Mr Fuele condemned the crackdown on protesters earlier this week.

The Prime Minister said the use of gas to disperse demonstrations was widespread in both Europe and the US

Protestors throw tear gas back at Turkish police during clashes earlier this week

'Peaceful demonstrations constitute a legitimate way for ... groups to express their views in a democratic society. Excessive use of force by police against these demonstrations has no place in such a democracy,' Mr Fuele said in a speech at the conference where Mr Erdogan sat in the front row.

Mr Fuele acknowledged the government apologised for the police attacks, but demanded it carry out proper retribution and a 'swift and transparent investigation'.

The protests have also put a strain on police, with officers working long hours and complaining of 'exhaustion' after days of 'sleeping on the streets and in police cars', and of suffering from social exclusion for following orders.

Mr Erdogan, returned from a trip to North Africa early on Friday, and was greeted at the airport by several thousand of his supporters, the first time they have made large-scale public show of support since the anti-government demonstrations began.

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