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| Riot Police Enter Disputed Square in Istanbul | Riot Police Enter Disputed Square in Istanbul |
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| ISTANBUL — A large force of riot police entered Taksim Square early on Tuesday, firing tear gas grenades and using water cannons to disperse demonstrators who have occupied the square for more than a week as part of a protest to save a nearby park that the government wants to develop. | ISTANBUL — A large force of riot police entered Taksim Square early on Tuesday, firing tear gas grenades and using water cannons to disperse demonstrators who have occupied the square for more than a week as part of a protest to save a nearby park that the government wants to develop. |
| Television footage of the ongoing operation showed protesters hurling stones and Molotov cocktails at police vehicles as security officers responded with tear gas. | |
| It appeared that relatively few protesters were in the square as the police moved in and many retreated to the park. News reports said some clashed with security forces, however, hurling rocks and firebombs. | It appeared that relatively few protesters were in the square as the police moved in and many retreated to the park. News reports said some clashed with security forces, however, hurling rocks and firebombs. |
| Huseyin Avni Mutlu, the governor of Istanbul, said in a Twitter message that the police would remove banners and posters. He said activists who have been occupying the park itself for more than two weeks would not be affected. | Huseyin Avni Mutlu, the governor of Istanbul, said in a Twitter message that the police would remove banners and posters. He said activists who have been occupying the park itself for more than two weeks would not be affected. |
| “Gezi Park and Taksim will never be touched. This morning you are in the safe hands of your police brothers,” he said. | “Gezi Park and Taksim will never be touched. This morning you are in the safe hands of your police brothers,” he said. |
| “Young people, please, stop hurling stones,” a police officer announced over a loudspeaker. “We are not going to touch Gezi Park.” | |
| Live television showed at least eight protesters standing behind metal shields against the pressure of water cannons, and CNN Turk reported that some demonstrators in Gezi Park tried to persuade others outside to stop throwing rocks at the police. Other footage showed hundreds of activists camping inside the park wearing gas masks and swimming goggles and spraying soothing liquids into the eyes and mouths of people affected by the tear gas around Taksim Square. | |
| The operation came a day after the government appeared to change tactics and Turkey’s prime minister agreed to meet with leaders of the protest movement whose opposition to the razing of a park in Istanbul’s Taksim Square was a catalyst for violent nationwide antigovernment demonstrations that began more than a week ago and escalated into a political crisis. | The operation came a day after the government appeared to change tactics and Turkey’s prime minister agreed to meet with leaders of the protest movement whose opposition to the razing of a park in Istanbul’s Taksim Square was a catalyst for violent nationwide antigovernment demonstrations that began more than a week ago and escalated into a political crisis. |
| The meeting between the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the protest leaders is scheduled for Wednesday, said Bulent Arinc, a deputy prime minister and government spokesman. | The meeting between the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the protest leaders is scheduled for Wednesday, said Bulent Arinc, a deputy prime minister and government spokesman. |
| Mr. Arinc did not specify who among the protest leaders would attend. Still, it was the first public sign that Mr. Erdogan, a popular but stubborn leader who has broadly denounced the protests as the work of looters and thugs, was willing to directly engage at least some of the organizers in a dialogue. | Mr. Arinc did not specify who among the protest leaders would attend. Still, it was the first public sign that Mr. Erdogan, a popular but stubborn leader who has broadly denounced the protests as the work of looters and thugs, was willing to directly engage at least some of the organizers in a dialogue. |
| “Our prime minister gave an appointment to some that led the events, and have been there from the very first day,” Mr. Arinc said in a televised statement. “I assume he will be meeting some of them on Wednesday.” | “Our prime minister gave an appointment to some that led the events, and have been there from the very first day,” Mr. Arinc said in a televised statement. “I assume he will be meeting some of them on Wednesday.” |
| The Radikal newspaper said the list of people to meet Mr. Erdogan included Mucella Yapici, the spokeswoman of Taksim Solidarity, and representatives of Greenpeace, and the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly — two nongovernmental organizations that support environmental protection and human rights. The official invitation by the government would be sent on Tuesday morning, the newspaper said. | The Radikal newspaper said the list of people to meet Mr. Erdogan included Mucella Yapici, the spokeswoman of Taksim Solidarity, and representatives of Greenpeace, and the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly — two nongovernmental organizations that support environmental protection and human rights. The official invitation by the government would be sent on Tuesday morning, the newspaper said. |
| Mr. Arinc spoke after a nearly seven-hour cabinet meeting during which members of Mr. Erdogan’s pro-Islamic Justice and Development Party discussed the protests, which began peacefully on May 31 and at their worst spread to more than 60 cities across the country in sometimes violent confrontations with the police. Some clashes continued Sunday into Monday, although Istanbul was peaceful. | Mr. Arinc spoke after a nearly seven-hour cabinet meeting during which members of Mr. Erdogan’s pro-Islamic Justice and Development Party discussed the protests, which began peacefully on May 31 and at their worst spread to more than 60 cities across the country in sometimes violent confrontations with the police. Some clashes continued Sunday into Monday, although Istanbul was peaceful. |
| Three people were killed and more than 2,300 injured in the violence, which revealed some deep-seated resentment toward Mr. Erdogan. Although he has widespread support across much of Turkey, the protests presented him with one of the biggest political challenges since he became Turkey’s leader a decade ago. | Three people were killed and more than 2,300 injured in the violence, which revealed some deep-seated resentment toward Mr. Erdogan. Although he has widespread support across much of Turkey, the protests presented him with one of the biggest political challenges since he became Turkey’s leader a decade ago. |
| The protests were originally intended as an environmental demonstration meant to save Gezi Park, in the heart of Taksim Square, which the government intends to develop. They escalated when riot police officers used tear gas and water cannons to disperse participants in what even some government officials conceded was an overly harsh response. | The protests were originally intended as an environmental demonstration meant to save Gezi Park, in the heart of Taksim Square, which the government intends to develop. They escalated when riot police officers used tear gas and water cannons to disperse participants in what even some government officials conceded was an overly harsh response. |
| The protesters later widened their grievances into a broad rebuke of what they consider the authoritarian style of Mr. Erdogan and his political party, which is supported by religious conservatives in Turkey. The protesters have demanded the resignation of governors and security chiefs in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, the punishment of abusive police officers and the release of people detained in the protests. Some have called for Mr. Erdogan to resign. | The protesters later widened their grievances into a broad rebuke of what they consider the authoritarian style of Mr. Erdogan and his political party, which is supported by religious conservatives in Turkey. The protesters have demanded the resignation of governors and security chiefs in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, the punishment of abusive police officers and the release of people detained in the protests. Some have called for Mr. Erdogan to resign. |
| Mr. Arinc rejected those demands and contended that international provocateurs, whom he did not further identify, played a role in the violence. | Mr. Arinc rejected those demands and contended that international provocateurs, whom he did not further identify, played a role in the violence. |
| But he also sounded conciliatory about the motivations of the Gezi Park protesters. “In terms of actions that started on good intentions, if the subject matter is environmental concerns, if the subject matter is human rights, if the subject matter is democracy, we would very much like to talk and discuss all these with related parties,” Mr. Arinc said. | But he also sounded conciliatory about the motivations of the Gezi Park protesters. “In terms of actions that started on good intentions, if the subject matter is environmental concerns, if the subject matter is human rights, if the subject matter is democracy, we would very much like to talk and discuss all these with related parties,” Mr. Arinc said. |
| The prime minister, who was abroad for much of last week as the protests spread, has said that the government would not abandon plans to develop Gezi Park into a replica of an Ottoman-era military barracks that was originally located there. | The prime minister, who was abroad for much of last week as the protests spread, has said that the government would not abandon plans to develop Gezi Park into a replica of an Ottoman-era military barracks that was originally located there. |
| Mr. Arinc has said that the government would, for now, follow a local court ruling that the project should be halted for public concerns to be assessed. | Mr. Arinc has said that the government would, for now, follow a local court ruling that the project should be halted for public concerns to be assessed. |