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Turkish PM defends his ‘duty’ to end protests

By Associated Press
SHARE Turkish PM defends his ‘duty’ to end protests
Protesters try to resist the advance of riot police in Gezi park in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, June 15, 2013. Riot police stormed the park after protesters ignored government appeals and a warning from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the two-week

Protesters try to resist the advance of riot police in Gezi park in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, June 15, 2013. Riot police stormed the park after protesters ignored government appeals and a warning from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the two-week standoff that has fanned nationwide demonstrations to end.

Vadim Ghirda, Associated Press
1 of 13
A protester kisses a national flag that he removed from a water cannon car as Turkish riot police spray water cannons2 at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline

A protester kisses a national flag that he removed from a water cannon car as Turkish riot police spray water cannons2 at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
2 of 13
Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city's m

Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
3 of 13
Turkish riot police fire tear gas after chasing protestors out of Gezi Park in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, June 15, 2013. Riot police stormed the park after protesters ignored government appeals and a warning from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for

Turkish riot police fire tear gas after chasing protestors out of Gezi Park in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, June 15, 2013. Riot police stormed the park after protesters ignored government appeals and a warning from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the two-week standoff that has fanned nationwide demonstrations to end.

Vadim Ghirda, Associated Press
4 of 13
Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city's m

Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
5 of 13
Police chase protesters as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shak

Police chase protesters as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
6 of 13
Protesters shout anti-government slogans as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protes

Protesters shout anti-government slogans as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
7 of 13
A protester holds up a banner with photos of three victims killed during protests and shouts anti-government slogans as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park,

A protester holds up a banner with photos of three victims killed during protests and shouts anti-government slogans as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
8 of 13
A man falls injured as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken t

A man falls injured as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
9 of 13
Turkish demonstrators hold a national flag with a portrait of Turkey's founder Kemal Ataturk as riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a

Turkish demonstrators hold a national flag with a portrait of Turkey’s founder Kemal Ataturk as riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
10 of 13
A Turkish journalist reacts after riot police sprayed water cannon at journalists together with protesters who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle

A Turkish journalist reacts after riot police sprayed water cannon at journalists together with protesters who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
11 of 13
Police chase protesters as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shak

Police chase protesters as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
12 of 13
Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city's m

Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city’s main Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Burhan Ozbilici, Associated Press
13 of 13
Protesters try to resist the advance of riot police in Gezi park in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, June 15, 2013. Riot police stormed the park after protesters ignored government appeals and a warning from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the two-week
A protester kisses a national flag that he removed from a water cannon car as Turkish riot police spray water cannons2 at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline
Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city's m
Turkish riot police fire tear gas after chasing protestors out of Gezi Park in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, June 15, 2013. Riot police stormed the park after protesters ignored government appeals and a warning from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for
Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city's m
Police chase protesters as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shak
Protesters shout anti-government slogans as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protes
A protester holds up a banner with photos of three victims killed during protests and shouts anti-government slogans as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park,
A man falls injured as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken t
Turkish demonstrators hold a national flag with a portrait of Turkey's founder Kemal Ataturk as riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a
A Turkish journalist reacts after riot police sprayed water cannon at journalists together with protesters who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle
Police chase protesters as Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shak
Turkish riot police spray water cannon at demonstrators who remained defiant after authorities evicted activists from an Istanbul park, making clear they are taking a hardline against attempts to rekindle protests that have shaken the country, in city's m

ISTANBUL — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip says he carried out his "duty" by deploying riot police who evicted thousands of activists behind an 18-day sit-in at an Istanbul park that had become a center of protests against his 10 years in office.

In a thunderous speech Sunday to hundreds of thousands of supporters in western Istanbul, Erdogan also railed against foreign media coverage and social media amid criticism over his government's handling of the protests.

Meanwhile, about 10 kilometers (six miles) away in downtown Istanbul, riot police were firing tear gas and water cannon against protesters and stone-throwing youths.

Protesters are angry over the eviction of overwhelmingly peaceful activists at Gezi Park who oppose government plans to rip down its trees and erect a replica Ottoman-era barracks.