Turkish Leader Says Razing of Istanbul Park Will Proceed

From:  NY Times 

Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

Protestors at Gezi Park in Taksim Square on Thursday. More Photos »

By TIM ARANGO and SEBNEM ARSU

Published: June 6, 2013

Flanked by his wife, Mr. Erdogan made his way through the crowd, boarded a bus and grabbed a microphone to deliver an emphatic speech in which he gave no ground to his opponents, calling them vandals and saying the demonstrations must end. He also sought to position himself as a leader of all Turks.

“Tonight is not only you,” he said. “I am addressing everyone in every city of Turkey.”

Invoking his faith and those of his followers, he said, “Nobody can stop Turkey’s rise but Allah.”

Mr. Erdogan’s supporters, which state news media estimated in the tens of thousands, waved placards and chanted, “We are the soldiers of Erdogan!” and “Istanbul is here, where are the looters?”

The show of support had the air of a political rally and served as a reminder to the country, supporters and opponents alike, that Mr. Erdogan is still a vastly popular leader among many Turks.

As the protests unfurled, Mr. Erdogan threatened to mobilize his own supporters, and on Thursday night he did. His Justice and Development Party bused supporters to the airport lateThursday, and the Istanbul subway stayed open later to accommodate them.  MORE