Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan remained defiant on Saturday as police and demonstrators clashed for a second day in Istanbul's main Taksim square, vowing to restore order.

"Police were there yesterday, they'll be on duty today and also tomorrow because Taksim square cannot be an area where extremists are running wild," Erdogan said in televised remarks, adding that his government would take the necessary precautions "to ensure safety of people and their property."