Hundreds of thousands filled the square hosting the rally for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Erzurum city in a show of support for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan… Erzurum residents who came out to attend the rally were visibly angry with those harboring intentions to incite chaos in Turkey, and using the Taksim Gezi Park protests as the means to do so. Participants expressed regularly that although Erdoğan has visited Erzurum in the past, they had never before seen this extent of crowds flock out to welcome the Prime Minister.
Erdoğan addressed the Gezi Park protests, assuring the crowds, "We will uncover piece by piece all of these set-ups, lies and slander." Directing a message to the protesters themselves, Prime Minister Erdoğan said, "If you have the courage, the sincerity and belief in democracy and in the national will, then the elections are coming, please pay a visit to the poll booths in eight months' time."
Calling the Gezi Park protests a façade, Erdoğan said it was all part of a game geared towards depredation. "With the AK Party coming into power, all depredations came to an end, therefore that has now become their main concern and intention," said Erdoğan referring to the opposition. Assuring that the nation will not allow these intentions to flourish, the Prime Minister stated, "This finale will be written by the poll booths."
Addressing the crowd, Erdoğan assured that in their democracy, they do not recognize any other force besides the national will and stated, "The people have brought us to power and only the people can take us down. We only recognize two forces in this world, one is God and the other is the people."
Prime Minister Erdoğan referred to the Taksim Gezi Park protesters as "occupation forces" and admitted that when he returned from a North Africa tour he ordered his Interior Minister to clear the square in 24 hours. "Were we just supposed to sit and watch these occupational forces? Yesterday they wanted to occupy the square again. The police were patient up to a certain point," he said. "When they didn't leave the police was forced to get them out," said Erdoğan emphasizing that no one has the right to disrupt public order and any attempts to do so will be met with police intervention. Erdoğan called on the protesters and the youths in the streets to be aware of the game being played and to return to their homes, before they incur further damage on Turkey. "I want them to now stop working on behalf of Turkey's enemies.
Criticizing the spreading of disinformation on social networking sites, Prime Minister Erdoğan stated, "Even if they published a million false reports, none would be able to hold up. This is what they did over Twitter, thinking that they would be able to get somewhere through fabricating news."
Prime Minister Erdoğan also commented on certain famous figures who spoke out regularly claiming the protests were not just about Gezi Park. "These supposed socialists are now mostly in Bodrum, on their yachts or drinking whiskey along the Bosporus. They aren't socialists," said Erdoğan adding, "If you seek social justice, it is in the AK Party."
The Prime Minister also referred to the ongoing resolution process to put an end to what he called the shackles of terrorism, which have been Turkey's ball and chain. "From here on out, we will be able to conduct even further reforms. We will take further steps and will have a chance to progress. You should have no concerns. The 21st century will be the century of Turkey."