Turkish protesters refused to back down on Monday after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned they would “pay a price” for their unrelenting demonstrations against his Islamic-rooted government’s decade-long rule.

As riot police doused of thousands of protesters in the capital Ankara with tear gas and jets of water for a second straight night, Erdogan went on the offensive, firing up supporters of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) with combative rhetoric in rallies across the country.

“Those who do not respect this nation’s party in power will pay a price,” he told thousands of cheering loyalists in Ankara, just a few kilometres away from the clashes in downtown Kizilay Square, the latest violence in a second week of mass civil unrest.

“We remained patient, we are still patient but there’s a limit to our patience,” Erdogan said.

His fans relished the show of strength, frequently interrupting his remarks with bursts of applause and chanting, “Turkey is proud of you”.

Tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators stepped up their protests over the weekend, pouring into cities across Turkey, including Istanbul, Ankara and the western city of Izmir.

Istanbul’s Taksim Square, the symbolic heart of the protest movement, attracted some of the largest crowds yet, with people dancing and chanting “Erdogan, resign!” into the early hours in a festive atmosphere.

The unrest first erupted on May 31 with a tough police crackdown on a campaign to save Istanbul’s Gezi Park, which borders Taksim Square, from demolition.

The trouble spiralled into nationwide displays of anger against Erdogan and his party, seen as increasingly authoritarian.

Nearly 5,000 demonstrators, scores of whom are young and middle-class, have been injured and three people have died in the trouble, tarnishing Turkey’s image as a model of Islamic democracy.

Taksim Square was much quieter today as demonstrators resumed their normal routines, though many vowed they would return.

The square and Gezi Park, both dotted with tents and festooned with banners and flags, have been transformed into a large police-free zone after officers pulled out over a week ago, and the area has seen no fresh clashes since.

On his whistlestop tour of three cities yesterday, Erdogan urged loyalists to respond to the demonstrators by voting for the AKP in local polls next year.

“I want you to teach them a first lesson through democratic means at the ballot box.” Turkey will see both local and presidential elections in 2014.