Turkey's Prime Minister Vows To Remove 'Lawbreakers'

Turkey's prime minister is issuing what he calls a "final warning" to protesters.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is demanding that they end their occupation of a park next to a landmark square in Istanbul. Speaking to party leaders in Ankara, the country's capital, he said, "We have arrived at the end of our patience."

The comments show that Erdogan appears determined to end two weeks of widespread protests.

The protests began as an attempt to block development in the Istanbul park, but expanded after a violent police crackdown on the activists — and became the biggest street unrest of Erdogan's 10-year rule.

Police have repeatedly fired water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters. Five people have died, and thousands have been reported injured.