Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has claimed that protests over the jailing of Istanbul's mayor had become a "movement of violence" and that the main opposition party would be held accountable for injured police officers and damage to property.
The detention last Wednesday of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mr Erdoğan's main political rival, has triggered the biggest street protests in Turkey in more than a decade.
A court jailed him yesterday, pending trial, on corruption charges that he denies.
Mr İmamoğlu's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), and its supporters, said the charges against him are politically motivated and undemocratic, which Mr Erdoğan's government denies.
Despite a ban imposed on street gatherings in many cities, the mostly peaceful anti-government demonstrations continued for a sixth consecutive night, with hundreds of thousands taking part and CHP leader Özgür Özel repeating a call for the nationwide protests to continue.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Mr Erdoğan said the CHP should stop "provoking" citizens.
"As a nation, we followed with surprise the events that emerged after the main opposition leader's call to take to the streets following an Istanbul-based corruption operation turned into a movement of violence," the 71-year-old president claimed.
"The main opposition is responsible for our (injured) police officers, the broken windows of our shopkeepers, and the damaged public property. They will be held accountable for all this, politically in parliament and legally by the judiciary."
Earlier, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya accused some protesters of "terrorising" the streets and threatening national security.
He said 1,133 people had been detained during five days of protests and that 123 police officers had been injured.
A CHP delegation met Istanbul's governor to discuss the police crackdown on the protesters.
The party's Istanbul head Özgür Çelik said police intervention on Sunday night had been the most violent so far, with many people being hospitalised.
Addressing hundreds of thousands of people in front of the Istanbul municipality headquarters in Saraçhane again, CHP leader Mr Özel repeated a call to boycott media, brands, and stores he called pro-Erdoğan, adding all charges against Mr İmamoğlu were baseless, unfounded and without evidence.
"Whoever Tayyip Erdoğan unjustly puts in jail, this square is defending them, for democracy and for Turkey," said Mr Özel.
He also called for continued protests as crowds waved flags and chanted slogans calling for the government to resign.
Mr Özel added his party would also appeal for Mr İmamoğlu to be released pending trial, and for his trial to be broadcast on the TRT state broadcaster.
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He challenged Mr Erdoğan to a televised debate, while calling on protesters to maintain public order and avoid clashes.
Ahead of Mr Özel's address, at the historic Galata Bridge in Istanbul, a sit-in protest blocked traffic on both sides of the bridge, while others gathered elsewhere in the city, in Ankara, and other cities.
Moments after Mr Özel finished his speech, police fired pellets and tear gas, and used water cannons to disperse demonstrators in Istanbul, while detaining several people.
In Ankara, protesters stood in front of trucks carrying water cannons and asked police to let them march in peace.
Jailed 'for no reason'
Mr İmamoğlu, 54, was jailed pending trial yesterday, as the CHP held a primary election to name him presidential candidate.
Some 15 million votes were cast in support of the mayor.
News of Mr İmamoğlu's arrest covered the front pages of Turkish newspapers, with opposition media suggesting the mayor was arrested for being the most credible challenger to Mr Erdoğan.
The mayor's supporters said the jailing of Mr İmamoğlu demonstrated a lack of justice in Turkey.
"I think there is an injustice committed against İmamoğlu. They put the man in prison for no reason," said Adem Bali, a 22-year-old construction worker.
Rights groups and European countries said Mr İmamoğlu's arrest marked democratic backsliding and criticised police intervention.
Germany said it made Turkey's pursuit of EU membership, which it has targeted for decades, sounded "increasingly hollow".
A meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee was postponed after the EU side "concluded that current circumstances are not conducive" to holding the meeting, it said in a statement.
A CHP official said that the party would this week appeal a decision by the Istanbul University to annul Mr İmamoğlu's diploma - required for eligibility in a presidential run - and added lawyers were working on appeals to the mayor's arrest as well.
Economic impact
Mr Erdoğan, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than two decades and faces no immediate tests at the ballot box, claimed the events of the past few days showed that the CHP was not fit to run local municipalities, let alone the nation.
He also sought to reassure investors who last week sold off Turkish assets following news of Mr İmamoğlu's detention, sending stocks, bonds and the lira currency tumbling and prompting the central bank to intervene with foreign exchange sales and other stabilising measures.
"Our main priority is protecting macrofinancial stability. The Treasury and finance ministry, central bank, all relevant institutions, with our support, are working day and night in full coordination, taking every necessary step," Mr Erdoğan said.
The Istanbul bourse benchmark index pared back some losses after suffering a fall of 16.6% last week, its worst drop since the global financial crisis in October 2008.
Analysts expect a prolonged period of political turmoil and uncertainty.
"The protests mark the most significant and widespread public reaction in over a decade, making the trajectory of events difficult to predict," said Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of Teneo consultancy.
"Once again, President Erdoğan's political agenda has inflicted serious damage on Turkey's economic outlook."
