1/11Riot police officers gather in central Ankara, Turkey, June 10, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
2/11An anti-government protester gestures during a demonstration in central Ankara, June 9, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
3/11Anti-government protesters remove bricks from a sidewalk to build a barricade in central Ankara, June 9, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
4/11Riot police chase protesters at Kizilay Square in central Ankara, June 9, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
5/11Supporters of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan listen to his speech at the Ankara airport, June 9, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
6/11Supporters of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan cheer upon his arrival at Istanbul's Ataturk airport, June 7, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
7/11Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves to supporters after arriving at Istanbul's Ataturk airport, June 7, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
8/11Pedestrians walk among tents set up by protesters in Gezi park, Taksim Square, Istanbul, June 6, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
9/11People observe a destroyed urban bus with a destination sign that reads ''This bus goes to Dictator'' at Taksim Square, Istanbul, June 6, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
10/11Thousands of protesters gather for another rally at Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey, June 3, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
11/11Protesters carry the Turkish flag and shout anti-government slogans during a demonstration at Gezi Park near Taksim Squar, Istanbul, June 3, 2013.
Protests across Turkey entered their 11th straight day Monday.
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ISTANBUL —
There have been more clashes in Turkey's capital, Ankara, between anti-government protesters and security forces, as civil unrest in the country continues. The prime minister condemned the protesters and called for calm. Protests are also continuing in Turkey's largest city, Istanbul.
Around 1,000 protesters clashed with security forces in the center of Ankara. Police used tear gas and water cannon to break up the demonstration, as nationwide unrest continued for a fourth day. The protests are aimed against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is accused of ruling in an increasingly authoritarian manner.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, meanwhile, appealed for calm, defending the right to protest and telling the protesters their message had been heard.
But Prime Minister Erdogan, speaking ahead of a visit to North African countries, continued his attack on the demonstrators, accusing them of being marginal and pawns of the main opposition party.
Thousands of people gathered Monday in Gezi Park in the heart of Istanbul, where the nationwide unrest began as a protest against the construction of a shopping mall there, in preparation for another protest. The overwhelming majority of the protestors are young but appear to represent a large cross section of society. There are no visible signs of the mainstream political parties, and the protest still appears to be made up of people not associated with country's political parties.
Many demonstrators are angry at the prime minister's latest attack. "The prime minister's address to the people I find it extremely provocative and alienating. I think with every speech he is making, he is losing it, he is losing more and more support," said one.
Despite calls from Turkey's political rulers to end the protests, few people expect an early end.
"Turkish people can't act immediately; it is very difficult to make fire on them. But when it starts, it's hard to stop. Because we are not [a] very reactive people. It's an accumulation after 10 years; you have to listen to these people as well," said one man.
While there was a carnival atmosphere among the protesters in Gezi Park on Monday, there was also concern that the violence which occurred between demonstrators and security forces in Istanbul on the previous three nights might be repeated.
