A Turkish protester walks through a thick cloud of tear gas during clashes early on the morning of May 31, 2013.
Turkish police have used tear gas and water cannon to disperse anti-government demonstrators in Ankara who are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
On the fourth day of anti-government demonstrations that have swept across scores of Turkish cities, police clashed with hundreds of young protesters who had gathered in the downtown Kizilay Square on Monday.
Protestors in Istanbul are also converging on Taksim Square where demonstrations started on Friday after security forces attacked a peaceful four-day sit-in by environmental activists against the demolition of Gezi Park.
In a separate development, Turkey’s Public Workers Unions Confederation (KESK) said on Monday that it would hold a two-day “warning strike” from Tuesday in protest to heavy-handed police crackdown on anti-government protesters.
According to new reports, an anti-government protester has succumbed to injuries sustained after being hit by a car during a protest in Turkish city of Istanbul on Sunday, medical sources say.
Meanwhile, Erdogan has remained defiant, calling the protesters dictators and a bunch of looters. Nearly 2,200 protesters have been arrested so far.
The harsh security response has drawn international condemnation with EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton condemning Turkish police for using disproportionate force against demonstrators.
The White House has also called on Turkish security forces to exercise restraint in dealing with the protests, saying public demonstrations are part of the democratic expression.
More than 2,200 people have been arrested so far, while over 1000 demonstrators have also been injured in the protests.
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This article originally appeared on: Press TV