Turkish police have fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters occupying a park in central Istanbul.
Riot police fire water cannons at protesters in Istanbul, Turkey. Credit: Reuters
The protest at Gezi Park started late on Monday after developers tore up trees but has widened into a broader demonstration against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.
Violence erupted after a dawn police raid on demonstrators who had camped for days in the park in anger at plans to build a shopping mall.
Clouds of tear gas rose around the area in Taksim Square, long a venue for political protest.
A protester holds up a sign as riot police use water cannons. Credit: Reuters
Broken glass and rocks were strewn across a main shopping street.
A group of primary school children ran crying from the tear gas while tourists caught by surprise scurried to get back to luxury hotels lining the square.
Violence erupted after a dawn police raid on demonstrators in Gezi Park. Credit: Reuters
Riot police clashed with tens of thousands of May Day protesters in Istanbul weeks ago.
There have also been protests against the government's stance on the conflict in neighbouring Syria, a recent tightening of restrictions on alcohol sales and warnings against public displays of affection.
TUC: Iain Duncan Smith 'weak arguments' over benefits
Iain Duncan Smith is a serial offender for misusing statistics. He has been wrapped over the knuckles for doing this before and if he needs to cook the books, his arguments must be weak.
Duncan Smith 'misrepresenting benefit cap statistics'
The Work and Pensions Secretary was today accused of misrepresenting government statistics in order to claim his cap on benefits was driving people to find work.
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith. Credit: Ian Nicholson/PA Wire
The Department for Work and Pensions(DWP) released figures yesterday showing the number of people expected to be hit by the cap had fallen from 56,000 to 40,000. Iain Duncan Smith hailed the figures, saying the cap had provided a "strong incentive" for people to look for jobs.
However, Jonathan Portes, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and a former chief economist at the DWP, said "there was no evidence at all" that the cap had affected people's behaviour.
Mr Portes told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "It may be that the benefit cap has indeed had the effect that Iain Duncan Smith would like it to have.
"That is perfectly possible but without doing the analysis - and it has not been done - you simply cannot say that and you shouldn't say it.
"This is, I am afraid, a consistent pattern of trying to draw out of the statistics things which they simply don't show."
Benefit cap fears: 'I don't know what they want me to do'
Figures out today reveal that 40,000 people in Scotland, England and Wales will be affected by the new benefit cap.
ITV News reporter Sejal Karia has spoken to Candice O'Halloran who fears that the money she will lose through the benefits cap will see her living back on the streets.
Candice said she has been looking for a job for years but has failed to find work, despite being happy to take anything, "I will clean toilets, I'll work behind a bar, I don't care."
Tens of thousands of workers, anti-war campaigners, politicians, community groups and other activists are expected to join a huge rally to protest against Government spending cuts in London today.
More than 250 coaches have been booked to bring people to London, while similar protests will also be held in Belfast and Glasgow.
The Labour leader Ed Miliband will be among dozens of speakers at a rally in Hyde Park, joining union officials who will spell out the impact of spending cuts on public services.
