While the Turkish government sought to cool international critics with talk of “democracy” solving its problems, it was fining TV stations that dared to cover the biggest news story of the decade going on in Taksim Square and Gezi Park.

The Erdogan Government accused the TV stations of “harming the physical, moral and mental development of children and young people” by broadcasting coverage of the Gezi Park protests.

This happened as allies such as the United States cautioned Turkish authorities against seeking to punish any demonstrators merely for exercising their right to free speech.

Protesters returned to Istanbul’s Taksim Square, entertained by a guy playing a portable piano, and in defiance of the violent police crackdown on Tuesday night.  They were joined by thousands of Lawyers who walked out of courtrooms in Istanbul and Ankara to protest the government’s violence on Tuesday night.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with “representatives” of the protesters, but few recognize the people at the table with Erdogan as leaders of the protests.

Erdogan says he’s open to allowing a referendum on the development of Gezi Park.  That was the issue that brought out peaceful environmental protesters more than two weeks ago to protect one of Istanbul’s last green spaces.  But the cops’ brutal treatment of that protest exploded into nationwide demonstrators against the autocratic practices of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.