Turkey: Thousands gather in Taksim Square

Thousands of Turks are gathering for a peaceful protest in Taksim Square in Istanbul despite Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call to stop the demonstration against his regime.

Earlier on Friday, Erdogan said he is open to the democratic demands leveled by the demonstrators and added he is against violence, vandalism and those who threaten others in the name of free speech. (AFP)