Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a public speech today. As with his speeches over the past week and a half, it included railing at the protesters as “terrorists.” Addressing the violent crackdown on the demonstrations in Istanbul, Erdogan said there would be “no more tolerance” for them.
Erdogan went on to mock protesters who said he was too “rough” saying they should have expected no less and that “Erdogan won’t change” under any circumstances.
“Not only will we end the actions, we will be at the necks of the provocateurs and terrorists and no-one will get away with it,” Erdogan added. Every speech he has made threatening the protesters has sparked an angry reaction in the past, and it seems this will be no different.
Police have been peppering Taksim Square and Gezi Park with tear gas for a solid day now, in amounts so heavy that there are lingering clouds across the center of Istanbul. The protests have not stopped, however, and threats for post-protest retaliation is likely to just convince the people in the square that this is a fight they dare not quit.
