Anti-government protesters clashed with police overnight and until the early hours of Tuesday (June 4) as they tried to approach Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office.

Police fired tear gas at demonstrators who threw rocks and built barricades, sealing some of the city's main roads that lead from Taksim Square towards Erdogan's office.

As dawn broke, tear gas filled the streets and some injured protesters could be seen being carried away.

Riot police managed to push back the protesters to their position away from the prime minister's office and toward the direction of Taksim Square, next to Gezi Park where anti-government protesters have set up camp.

Erdogan has dismissed the protests as the work of secular enemies never reconciled to the election success of his AK party, which has roots in Islamist parties banned in the past but which also embraces centre-right and nationalist elements. Erdogan suspects "foreign" forces for the trouble.

The party has won three straight elections and overseen an economic boom, increasing Turkey's influence in the region.

The unrest delivered a blow to Turkish financial markets that have thrived under Erdogan. Shares fell more than 10 percent and the lira dropped to 16-month lows on Monday.

Erdogan said the protesters had no support in the population as a whole and dismissed any comparison with the 'Arab Spring' that swept nearby Arab states, toppling rulers long ensconced in power with the help of repressive security services.

Presented by Adam Justice

READ:

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/turkey-protests-erdogan-istanbul-ankara-abdullah-gul-474276

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/474381/20130604/turkey-protests-union-federation-calls-two-day.htm