ALSO: Recent mayhem from Turkey:
Published on Jun 8, 2013
Protesters set alight barricades to prevent the police from entering Taksim Square early on Sunday morning. The barricades caught fire at the edge of the square which is located in the centre of Istanbul. In the area between Taksim Square and the Besiktas neighbourhood many more barricades have been erected turning the area into what many call a “liberated zone”.
There have been criticisms of the police reaction to protesters, with some suggesting that riot police have routinely used excessive force. Erdogan has admitted that ‘mistakes’ have been made in the handling of the demonstrations. Police have used pepper spray, tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds.