Police in the Turkish city of Istanbul have fired tear gas and water cannons against a group of protesters trying to reach a main square during a second day of anti-government demonstrations.
At least a thousand people had earlier marched across Istanbul’s Bosphorus Bridge from the Asian side of the Turkish city to support the anti-government protests.
Saturday’s violence came a day after police clashed with demonstrators in central Istanbul, wounding scores of people.
At least 60 people were detained on Friday, as thousands of demonstrators massed on streets surrounding Istanbul’s central Taksim Square, long a venue for political unrest.
Broken glass and rocks were strewn across a main shopping street near the square.
The protest at Taksim’s Gezi Park started late on Monday after trees were torn up over a government redevelopment plan but has widened into a broader demonstration against what they see as an increasingly authoritarian government.
“The protesters are saying that this is not about trees anymore,” said Al Jazeera’s Rawya Rageh, reporting from Istanbul.
The unrest reflects growing disquiet at Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s administration and his Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party.
There have been protests against the government’s stance on the conflict in neighbouring Syria, a tightening of restrictions on alcohol sales and warnings against public displays of affection.
A clash between Islamists and Secular forces. It remains to be seen who wins. Will there be another Ataturk?
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