Turkey Looks To Repair Damage After Protests
Sky News
Turkey has begun cleaning up its streets after two days
of clashes between police and protesters in the largest anti-government
demonstrations in years.
But the rain kept large crowds away and streets were much quieter.
However, there were calls on social media for further protests later in the day both in Istanbul and the capital Ankara, and by early afternoon protesters started returning to Taksim.
Amnesty International said there had been two deaths, and Turkey's Western allies including Britain and the US called on the government to show restraint.
Police withdrew from Taksim Square on Saturday after violent clashes that left dozens injured, many affected by tear gas fired by officers. Police also turned water cannon on the demonstrators.
Almost 1,000 people have been arrested in 90 demonstrations held across the vast nation.
What began as an outcry against plans to build a shopping centre on a park snowballed into a broader protest against the Islamist-rooted government, which critics say has become increasingly authoritarian.
Sky's Correspondent Katie Stallard said that rubble littered the main streets around Taksim Square.
Shopkeepers scrubbed anti-government graffiti off walls, and slogans were also sprayed on burnt-out vehicles including a police car and a bus.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there had been examples of "extreme" police action.
But he added: "I call on the protesters to stop their demonstrations immediately."
The interior ministry said that legal action would be taken against police officers who had acted "disproportionately".
The country's Doctors' Association said four people have permanently lost their eyesight after being hit by gas canisters or plastic bullets.