It is insulting, that's the point. Erdogan is no stranger to provoking people, and then demonizing them in the ensuing outrage. Like when he called the protest

It is insulting, that's the point. Erdogan is no stranger to provoking people, and then demonizing them in the ensuing outrage. Like when he called the protestors 3-5 bandits, or when he called the founders of the constitution two drunkards (and they did drink, but so what?), or when he said "if you have 100 thousand people on the streets, I'll bring out a million" (all easily googleable, don't have time to link now). His bully-like attitude is partly why he's losing sympathy even among his own supporters and party, which contain a spectrum from conservative-moderates to ultra-conservatives.