Turkish authorities urge protesters to act responsibly

Turkish authorities urged people to act responsibly amid ongoing demonstrations over plans to develop a park in central Istanbul's Taksim Square, warning they would not hesitate in their role to attain security. Turkey's Interior Ministry expressed concern on the fourth day of demonstrations, which it said have reached a worrying state, including attacks on security forces. It also noted to the need for traffic and roads in the city's main tourist and social hub to be unhindered, going into the new week. Social networking sites, it warned, aid the spread of inaccurate and false information on the situation on the ground, and are encouraging youth to join the protests. It also suggested that there exist attempts to mislead the public and aggravate the situation in the city. Over the last four days the demonstrations have spread to the capital Ankara and major city Izmir. According to ministry figures, some 235 protests have occurred across 67 provinces, with some 800 people arrested for the alleged damaging of state property or spreading anarchy.