Since the failed coup, protesters have filled squares throughout Turkey on a nightly basis. On July 15, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on supporters to take to the streets to defend his regime from the military.
The Turkish composer Tolga Yayalar, who lives in Istanbul, tells DW how he experienced the attempted military coup on Friday night. He fears for freedom of art and the press.
Erdem Gunduz caught the country’s attention by standing silently and alone in Istanbul’s iconic Taksim Square
The police presence on the square was much smaller than in previous days and the area was mostly overrun with tourists and commuters resuming their normal routines.
Police “will use all their powers” to end the unrest, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said in a televised interview.
A day after meeting with protest leaders and offering to hold a referendum on plans to redevelop Gezi Park, Erdogan resumed his combative stance
“I call for an immediate end to the demonstrations, which have lost their democratic credentials and turned into vandalism,” Erdogan said
Timeline outlining latest clashes in Turkey
Egypt’s consulate in Istanbul will remain open to provide shelter for citizens affected by protests in the city
Demonstrators have been trying to prevent workers from razing Taksim Excursion Park and turning it into a shopping mall
