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Protesters in Turkish Park Say They Will Not Leave Police Storm Turkish Park Occupied by Protesters
(about 1 hour later)
ISTANBUL — Protesters camped out in Gezi Park in central Istanbul for more than two weeks vowed Saturday to remain there despite an offer by the prime minister to allow the courts to decide on the future of the park, the preservation of which was the cause of the protest movement that rose to challenge his leadership. ISTANBUL — After 18 days of antigovernment protests that presented a broad rebuke the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, riot police stormed Gezi Park on Saturday evening, shortly after Mr. Erdogan warned in a speech that the park would be cleared by Sunday.
In disavowing the compromise offer — which also called for a referendum should the court rule in the government’s favor and allow the demolition of the park — the protesters risked hardening the crisis and inciting a decisive police raid to clear the area. Officials have warned for days that a raid is imminent, and in a speech to supporters on Saturday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave a new deadline of Sunday for demonstrators to leave. In finally launching the raid to clear the park, in which police fired tear gas and water cannons against protesters who had set up a tent city there, Mr. Erdogan risked hardening the stance of his opponents and exacerbating the crisis. The raid came as protesters were continuing to weigh a compromise offer from Mr. Erdogan to save the park, though many had already rejected the overture and vowed to stay on.
On Friday, a quick end to the standoff briefly appeared possible. Taksim Solidarity, an umbrella group of protest organizers, was impressed enough by Mr. Erdogan’s gesture — delivered to them at his home — that it tried to persuade protesters to clear the park. In a late-night meeting with organizers that ended Friday morning, Mr. Erdogan had agreed to allow a legal challenge to a government plan to demolish the park to run its course before going forward with construction. And he said that even if the court ruled in the government’s favor, he would submit the matter to a referendum.
On Friday, a nonviolent end to the standoff had briefly appeared possible. Taksim Solidarity, an umbrella group of protest organizers, was impressed enough by Mr. Erdogan’s gesture — delivered to them at his home — that it tried to persuade protesters to clear the park.
But the rank-and-file protesters vehemently disagreed, and on Saturday, Taksim Solidarity appeared to back off somewhat, issuing a statement that the protest movement “continued to guard the park and the city for all the living beings in them, our trees, living spaces, private lives, liberties and future.”But the rank-and-file protesters vehemently disagreed, and on Saturday, Taksim Solidarity appeared to back off somewhat, issuing a statement that the protest movement “continued to guard the park and the city for all the living beings in them, our trees, living spaces, private lives, liberties and future.”
The statement also said the environmentalist resistance that encompasses “citizens’ anger that accumulated over 11 years of A.K.P. government would continue and spread over all portions of life, city and country,” referring to the Turkish initials for Mr. Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.The statement also said the environmentalist resistance that encompasses “citizens’ anger that accumulated over 11 years of A.K.P. government would continue and spread over all portions of life, city and country,” referring to the Turkish initials for Mr. Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.
It appeared Saturday that Mr. Erdogan’s new compromising tone — after a series of defiant speeches that further inflamed anger — had succeeded in causing fissures in the protest movement. Despite Taksim Solidarity’s latest statement, it was still trying Saturday to see if it could reach a compromise with the rank-and-file protesters, suggesting they keep one tent in the park as a symbolic move to maintain the protest until the future of the park is determined. Despite Taksim Solidarity’s latest statement, however, it was still trying Saturday to see if it could reach a compromise with the rank-and-file protesters, suggesting they keep one tent in the park as a symbolic move to maintain the protest until the future of the park is determined.
Mr. Erdogan’s new stance may also have gained political cover for a police raid if the vast majority of protesters refuse to leave. In the speech to supporters in Ankara, the capital, on Saturday, he said the park would be cleared one way or another on Sunday. If the protesters do not leave the park on their own, he warned, the “security forces of this country knows how to clear it.” In a speech to supporters in Ankara on Saturday, Mr. Erdogan said the park would be cleared one way or another by Sunday. If the protesters did not leave the park on their own, he warned, the “security forces of this country knows how to clear it.”
The rally by his backers, to be followed by another in Istanbul on Sunday, is being viewed as a counterdemonstration to show that he is still extremely popular in much of the country.The rally by his backers, to be followed by another in Istanbul on Sunday, is being viewed as a counterdemonstration to show that he is still extremely popular in much of the country.
His new stance also received public support from Turkey’s president, Abdullah Gul, who was more conciliatory to the protesters last week. Mr. Gul urged them on Saturday to end their action, saying in a Twitter posting that “everyone should now return home.” Mr. Erdogan’s proposed compromise also received public support from Turkey’s president, Abdullah Gul, who was more conciliatory to the protesters last week. Hours before the raid, Mr. Gul urged them to end their action, saying on Twitter that “everyone should now return home.”
“Open channels for meetings and dialogue is a sign of democratic maturity,” Mr. Gul wrote. “I believe this period will produce good results.”“Open channels for meetings and dialogue is a sign of democratic maturity,” Mr. Gul wrote. “I believe this period will produce good results.”
Government officials continued their criticism of the protests as an internationally backed plot by interest groups and an effort by the main opposition party to hurt the government.Government officials continued their criticism of the protests as an internationally backed plot by interest groups and an effort by the main opposition party to hurt the government.
“If the issue is about the environmental concerns, respect to the green, all of these messages have been taken, necessary assessments have been made,” Huseyin Celik, a government spokesman, said Saturday in a televised statement. “Prolonging this any longer just spoils it.”“If the issue is about the environmental concerns, respect to the green, all of these messages have been taken, necessary assessments have been made,” Huseyin Celik, a government spokesman, said Saturday in a televised statement. “Prolonging this any longer just spoils it.”

Sebnem Arsu contributed reporting.

Sebnem Arsu contributed reporting.