Thousands of protesters in Istanbul continued to try to reach Taksim Square on Sunday despite the fact that a rally was being held by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan just a few miles away. The area was closed off by police and cleared of activists Saturday night, which resulted in more unrest as protesters attempted to regroup. Police continued to use tear gas and water cannons on activists bound for the square on Sunday, as well as inside buildings harboring injured protesters. Meanwhile, Erdogan spoke to tens of thousands of supporters, accusing international media of bias in the protesters' favor and exclaiming that the European Union should to stay out of Turkish politics.
