World Bulletin / News Desk

The White House on Saturday called on Turkish authorities to act with restraint following the incidents at Istanbul's Taksim Gezi Park.

In a statement released, Spokesperson for the White House National Security Council Laura Lucas stressed that peaceful public demonstrations were "a part of democratic expression, and we expect public authorities to act responsibly and with restraint."

The White House remarks came in response to the Taksim sit-in protest in which police intervened on Friday by using tear gas and water cannon against the protestors. Those staging the sit-in protested the demolition of Gezi Park and uprooting of the trees.