Türkiye

A fresh meme has emerged from the protests on Istanbul's Taksim Square. And, as RFE/RL correspondent Deana Kjuka reports, this time it's not about penguins -- although they do make an appearance -- but rather a silent "standing man." On the evening of June 17, for more than five hours, Erdem Gunduz stood motionless on Taksim Square. He simply stared at the portrait of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, that hangs outside the Ataturk Cultural Center in the capital. The photo quickly went viral, and within hours #duranadam (Turkish for "standing man") and #standingman were trending on Twitter.

Turkish police have reportedly confiscated a piano that was being used to serenade Istanbul's protesters. Davide Martello claims that officials seized his grand piano as part of Saturday's raid on Gezi Park. Martello became an unlikely icon for the sit-in at Taksim Square, where thousands of people had gathered to protest the increasingly authoritarian rule of prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On Wednesday night, the German musician wheeled his piano into the throng and began performing for the masses – staging swelling piano recitals that lasted for as long as 14 hours. He had soon attracted a huge coterie of supporters, dozens of news reports and the makings of aprofitable campaign. "The idea is to inspire politicians through music," Martello told the New York Times. On Saturday night, at Erdoğan's order, police moved into Taksim Square, violently clearing the protesters. "The Turkish police seized my piano, my car and my Iphone. I need help!!!"

Tonight, Prime Minister Erdogan kept his threat to clear Gezi Park in Istanbul. Hundreds of riot police were sent in with Water Cannons. They cleared the park with chemical-laced water and pepper spray and fired tear gas canisters and bullets at the protesters. There are reports that police used the water cannons to drive at the protesters and disperse them and videos have been released of protesters lying down in front of the trucks and at least one protester who had to be rescued from underneath a truck. Once the park was cleared, protesters marched by the thousands through the city playing music and chanting. Supporters banged pots and pans outside of their windows.

Every revolution needs its heroes. Ours is called Davide. He is the pianoman. Yesterday and tonight he has been playing in Taksim for twelve hours straight, until ten o’ clock in the morning. When the rain started, people held a canvas over him and his piano, and he continued to play. ‘Imagine’, ‘Let it be’, ‘We are the World’, ‘Bella Ciao’, etc. etc. Fifty meters away there was a row of police buses and water cannons ready for the final attack. On the other side, candles were burning in honour of the people who died in the protest.

Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, delivered a stark "final warning" on Thursday to thousands of defiant protesters still camped out in Istanbul's Gezi park, demanding that they end their occupation. Describing the protesters as troublemakers, Erdoğan said the government had reached the "end of its patience" over the continuing demonstrations against his leadership, in which five people have been killed since 31 May. Erdoğan had earlier issued a 24-hour deadline to clear Taksim Square and Gezi park. Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, delivered a stark "final warning" on Thursday to thousands of defiant protesters still camped out in Istanbul's Gezi park, demanding that they end their occupation. Describing the protesters as troublemakers, Erdoğan said the government had reached the "end of its patience" over the continuing demonstrations against his leadership, in which five people have been killed since 31 May. Erdoğan had earlier issued a 24-hour deadline to clear Taksim Square and Gezi park.

The Prime Minister of Turkey has threatened protesters with removal once again. Taksim Square is crowded with people, many chanting against the government. Mothers of the protesters camping at Gezi Park have formed a human barricade near the police forces on duty. They then walked hand in hand through the park and chanted slogans such as, "We gave birth to these children." At another part of the square, a large number of people listened to Sicilian musician David Marcello's piano recital.

Erdogan’s statements propelled contrasting reactions. They mobilized his supporters, who chanted slogans such as those who raise their hands against the police should have their hands broken. His speech simultaneously pushed more demonstrators onto the streets, who in turn chanted Tayyip will pay and Tayyip, resign. During the heavy hours of the recent crackdown, social media networks teemed with updates from within and outside Turkey, reporting police action and protesters’ responses. With a growing pool of online media and footage such as this that shows police attacking a protester in a wheelchair and prime minister Erdogan far from assuming a conciliatory tone, many are watching closely to see just what kind of an end the next 24 hours will produce.