People in Istanbul are continuing their protests against their government's decision to turn the city's Gezi Park into a shopping mall. The unrest has spread to the Turkish capital Ankara and 90 other places across the country, in what is seen as dissatisfaction with the rule of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan. More than 1,000 people have been arrested and dozens injured. The government has come under criticism for its heavy-handed response to the protestors. It has now ordered security forces to leave Istanbul's Taksim Square. Mr Erdogan admitted that police had made "mistakes" in the amount of force they used, but emphasized that the square, "cannot be an area where extremists are running wild".

Protesters have been staging their "Occupy Gezi Park" protest since May 26. They want to prevent the demolition of one of the few green areas left in central Istanbul. Journalist Murat Yetkin said the increasing and "disproportionate" police response "has managed to turn a pacifist and modest protest into a public protest movement". Oral Goktas, a 31-year old architect, said: "This has become a protest against the government, against Erdogan taking decisions like a king." Opposition party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu accused Erdogan of behaving like a dictator, saying: "Tens of thousands are saying no. They are opposing the dictator." Erdogan vowed that the redevelopment of the park would go ahead as planned.