Turkey’s main opposition leader has raised the pressure on the government over the massive graft probe in which ministers’ sons have been arrested, claiming that the government has lost its legitimacy since the prime minister is protecting the figures who are involved in corruption.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threw down the gauntlet to his rivals, including “spies” and “traitors” Dec. 22, warning them against using allegations of high-level corruption to undermine his rule or he would “break their hands.” 

The police in Turkey’s Istanbul fired rubber bullets, tear gas andwater cannon to disperse more than 10,000 anti-government protesters on Sunday. An eyewitness said five people were injured and one had a heart attack during thedemonstration supported by more than 200 political parties, associations and platforms inthe country.