Speaking in front of thousands of supporters who greeted him at Istanbul airport as he returned from Morocco, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last night protests "bordering on illegality must come to an end immediately."

He added that the demonstrations had "lost their democratic credentials and turned into vandalism".

Protests sparked by opposition to a controversial building project in Istanbul's Taksim Square have swept the country this week.

The demonstrations have attracted tens of thousands of people from all walks of life who criticise Mr Erdogan for what they say is an increasingly arrogant and autocratic nature - charges he rejects.

Support for Erdogan

Mr Erdogan thanked his supporters for their calm and urged them to "go home".

Earlier, his supporters were urged not to welcome him on his return home from a four-day trip to north Africa.

Speaking after thousands of angry demonstrators had called for the PM's resignation, deputy leader of the ruling party, Huseyin Celik, said: "The prime minister does not need a show of power."

Protests continue

When Mr Erdogan flew out of Turkey on Monday he dismissed the protests, saying they would have died down by his return.

However, they continued, with police on Wednesday using tear gas and water cannon to disperse demonstrators in Ankara.

A policeman in the southern city of Adana died after falling into an underpass while trying to subdue continued protests.

Two other people have been killed in the 7 days of unrest - some 4,000 have been injured during riots, 43 of them seriously.

It was a heavy-handed police response to a peaceful demonstration in Istanbul that sparked nationwide anti-government protests denouncing Mr Erdogan, who has been in power since 2002.