ISTANBUL, Turkey, June 1 (UPI) -- More than a dozen injuries were reported in clashes Saturday between Turkish police and demonstrators protesting the closure of a city park, authorities said.
The confrontations subsided after riot squads pulled back and allowed thousands of people to pour into Taksim Square in central Istanbul.
Earlier in the day, police used water cannon and tear gas against about 500 demonstrators marching across a bridge that links the Asian side of the ancient city to the European side, where Taksim square is located.
The protest revolved around a small green area in the square, which the government plans to close and develop into a shopping mall, mosque and reconstruction of an historic building from the Ottoman Empire, CNN said.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said police had used excessive force in clearing protesters from the park on Friday, Today's Zaman reported. Friday's skirmishes left about a dozen people hurt and more than 60 detained by police, The Wall Street Journal said.
