Who's behind the Turkish Spring? Barricades and chants in response to Turkish PM’s 24-hour deadline

• Barricades and chants in response to Turkish PM’s 24-hour deadline — RT News

Turkish protesters remain defiant after Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan declared that the disturbances must end within 24 hours. Overnight riot police used tear gas and water cannons to break up activists in Ankara as they built barricades. “I have given orders to the interior minister,” Erdogan said Wednesday. “This will be over in 24 hours.” He added that the protests were hurting Turkey’s image and economy. Meanwhile, Turkey’s Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairman Huseyin Celik has said a referendum might be held to decide whether to build replicas of Ottoman-era barracks in Gezi Park or leave it as it is. Erdogan’s deadline is unlikely to be observed by the protesters, reports RT’s Irina Galushko from Istanbul. Following PM’s statements, activists at Taksim Square were chanting and singing in defiance of his order to leave. The city was relatively quiet overnight, but the capital Ankara saw its fifth night of rioting in a row. There police again used tear gas and water cannons to break up some 2,500 protesters, as they were trying to erect barricades on a road leading to government offices.

Earlier on Wednesday the Turkish Prime Minister spoke to a group of 11 people as part of the government’s attempt to listen to the demands of the demonstrators. The participants included artists, academics and students, as well as the Interior Minister, Environment and Urban Minister, Tourism and Culture Minister and the vice chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). As the PM spoke, another group of protesters prepared to assemble on Taksim Square, just a day after thousands of like-minded people were driven back in a night of violence, complete with tear gas and water cannon. The police had invaded the square twice on Tuesday. In the 12 days of anti-government anger, three protesters and one policeman have lost their lives, prompting Turkey’s Human Rights Foundation to open an investigation into excessive use of force by the police. The number of injured stands above 5,000. Elements within the protest camp appeared not to waiver in the face of Erdogan’s warnings, with the Taksim Solidarity Group – an umbrella unit representing the protestors – urging the crowds to return to the square at 7PM. The group reiterated its earlier demands, which included for the government to cancel plans for destroying Gezi Park, just meters away from Taksim Square; for police chiefs in cities with a particularly high rate of violence against protesters to be sacked; and for the release of those that have been detained over the 12 days. The group of 11 people who spoke to Teyyip Erdogan included celebrity activists too – among them a noted actress and a singer. But the Taksim Solidarity Group has said the celebrity connection was useless as long as police violence continued. Read More: Barricades and chants in response to Turkish PM’s 24-hour deadline — RT News

Signs of Bible Prophesies fulfilled in Current Events