Turkey protests: Recep Tayyip Erdogan vows to remove demonstrators from Taksim Square Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued warning after two weeks of protests He has rejected EU Parliament criticism of 'excessive force' by police 'We will clean the square' he told local party leaders Several hundred protesters remain camped in neighbouring Gezi Park Istanbul is preparing for more violent scenes after protesters were warned they would be removed from Taksim Square within 24 hours. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued the warning today following two weeks of violent confrontations. It comes after the European Parliament issued a resolution condemning the excessive use of force by Turkish riot police against demonstrators. Stand-off: Activists stand on a barricade at the entrance of Gezi Park in Istanbul today following an ultimatum by the Turkish Prime Minister Warning: The European Parliament has issued a resolution condemning the excessive use of force by Turkish riot police against demonstrators. This activist stands on a barricade at the entrance of Gezi Park Troubling: This bus stop shows signs of damage following recent violent scenes in Istanbul Ratcheting up his defiant tone, Prime Minister Erdogan appears determined to end the protests that have put an unflattering international spotlight on his Islamic-rooted government and its handling of the biggest street unrest of his 10-year tenure. Erdogan's comments came a day after his Justice and Development party proposed a referendum over a development plan at Taksim Square that has fanned the protests. Police have repeatedly fired water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters; five people have died and over 5,000 have been injured. The government says 600 police were injured as well. This square belongs to the people of Istanbul, the people of the whole country, and to all international visitors. So we cannot allow troublemakers to hang around freely in this square,' Erdogan said. Warning: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan today told protestors they will be removed from Taksim Square within 24 hours. Activists are pictured standing on top of their barricade overlooking Taksim Square yesterday Anger: Protestors light flares as they gather for an anti-government rally at the entrance of Gezi Park at Taksim Square last night Erdogan told local party leaders. We will clean the square. Erdogan also lashed out at the European Parliament over its non-binding motion for a resolution that expressed its concern over 'the disproportionate and excessive use of force' by Turkish police. The EU assembly said it 'deplores the reactions of the Turkish Government and of Prime Minister Erdogan' - and accused him of adding to the polarization of the situation. Support: German pianist Klavier Kunst performs for Turkish anti-government activists last night Night of violence: A masked protester is helped to his feet during clashes with Turkish riot police in central Ankara in the early hours of the morning Just minutes before the legislature approved the motion in a show of hands, Erdogan thundered to raucous applause: 'I won't recognize the decision that the European Union Parliament is going to take about us ... Who do you think you are by taking such a decision? The protests erupted May 31 after a violent police crackdown on a peaceful sit-in by activists objecting to a development project that would cut down the trees in Gezi Park, adjacent to Taksim Square, with a replica of Ottoman-era barracks. Defiance: Two demonstrators sit next to an overturned car near Gezi park in central Istanbul after a night which saw yet more violent clashes with police Exhausted: Protesters cover themselves with blankets as they huddle together at Gezi Park The demonstrations then spread to dozens of cities, rallying tens of thousands of people each night, and broadened to a protest over Erdogan's overall rule. Protesters who have camped out in a peaceful sit-in in Gezi Park remained on site yesterday. Their continued presence by the hundreds has served as a base for large numbers of protesters who have congregated by the thousands on Taksim Square - usually in the evening, after work. Missile: A protester hurls a tear gas canister back towards a police barricade in central Ankara Flashpoint: A riot police fires tear gas against anti-government protesters during clashes in Ankara Also yesterday, 26-year-old Ethem Sarisuluk - who had been on life support for days - was pronounced dead, according to family lawyer Sema Aksoy. He was believed to have been hit in the head by a tear gas canister June 1 during protests in Ankara, though lawyers were going to sit in on the autopsy to verity the exact circumstances leading to his death. Five people have died and more than 5,000 have been injured during the recent violence.