Turkey's prime minister on Saturday called for an immediate end to violent protests which have engulfed Istanbul for two days, in what were one of the biggest anti-government demonstrations since the Islamist-rooted leadership came to power. Police pulled back from Taksim square, the epicentre of the demonstrations that have left dozens injured and earned Turkey a rare rebuke from its Western allies. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan admitted that "there have been some mistakes, extremism in police response" and that legal action would be taken against officers who added disproportionately. But he also remained defiant, vowing to push forward with controversial plans to redevelop the iconic Taksim square -- the catalyst that had sparked the protests. As police withdrew, thousands of demonstrators flooded the square, shouting taunts at Erdogan, including "We are here Tayyip, where are you?", "Government resign" or "Dictator resign". What began as an outcry against a local development project has snowballed into widespread anger against what critics say is the government's increasingly conservative and authoritarian agenda. The unrest has spread to other cities across the country, with police on Saturday blocking a group of demonstrators from marching to parliament and the prime minister's office in Ankara. "I call on the protesters to stop their demonstrations immediately," Erdogan said in a speech, as clashes raged for a second day at Taksim square, a popular tourist destination and traditional rallying site in Istanbul.
