In the heart of Taksim

In the heart of Taksim

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Two protesters sleep curled up next to a tent in Gezi Park, a green space adjoining Istanbul’s famous Taksim Square, where protests against a redevelopment project ballooned into mass demonstrations against what critics call the authoritarianism of Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.

Taksim Square, occupied by crowds of demonstrators, has become a centre of the protests that have rocked cities across Turkey.

"Nowadays, Taksim smells of tear gas all the time."
Murad Sezer, Reuters Photographer

Taksim Square is the heart of Istanbul. It’s the meeting point for lovers, tourists and – in many cases – protesters.

On the weekends, if you stroll around the square and crowded Istiklal Street, a hub for shops and bars, you can witness various political demonstrations: women protesting against domestic violence, soccer fans, anti-government far-leftists groups or the “Saturday Mothers,” demanding to know the fate of missing relatives. Riot police are never far away, so it's not a big surprise if you smell tear gas all of a sudden in the middle of Taksim.

Nowadays, Taksim smells of tear gas all the time. A peaceful sit-in protest to save Gezi park, at the side of the square, turned into a week-long riot between police and anti-government demonstrators. Now everybody in Taksim, from shopkeepers to taxi drivers, has grown accustomed to tear gas and barricades blocking main streets to the square.

As a news photographer, it became routine for me to cover protests in the city centre and deal with brief waves of tear gas. But it’s not that easy to cover riots in Taksim anymore. After three days of clashes, protesters occupied the square and police stand far away.

Both sides rest during the day and fight from midnight to dawn. Like the other news photographers, I have to run behind the riot police or protesters in the alleys of Taksim. Almost a week passed with sleepless nights, heavy clouds of tear gas and stones flying over my head. The other day when I was talking to my wife on the phone she asked me if I had eaten anything or not. My answer was: " I don't remember."

Now it's quieter than the first week. When I think back, I am grateful for my gas mask, which enabled me to breathe, my helmet, which protected my head and my Reuters ID card. They saved my life and gave me great support in my non-stop work.

It's obvious how a helmet and a gas mask protected me, but the mention of my Reuters journalist card may sound strange. Since the beginning of the Taksim story, Reuters pictures have been widely published in the Turkish media. My colleague Osman Orsal's picture of the “woman in red” became the symbol of the Gezi Park protests.

Objective Reuters journalism is appreciated by the Turkish public. Whenever angry protesters asked me which media outlet I worked for, and I showed my Reuters ID, it worked really well. I can say with certainty that Reuters is now better known in Turkey than it was before.

Panorama:

Protesters camp out in Gezi Park at the side of Taksim Square. Demonstrators have been hunkering down there, even taking part in yoga classes and setting up a makeshift library, in a statement of their intent to stay on after a week of protests.

Panorama Image
. Istanbul, Turkey. Reuters/Murad Sezer
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Slideshow

A waiter named Seyfi Yasar pauses while smoking a cigarette in front of a set of improvised barricades outside the hotel where he works near Taksim Square.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

A waiter named Seyfi Yasar pauses while smoking a cigarette in front of a set of improvised barricades outside the hotel where he works near Taksim Square.

A Besiktas soccer fan uses his team's scarf as a mask as he sits inside a damaged bus at the square.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

A Besiktas soccer fan uses his team's scarf as a mask as he sits inside a damaged bus at the square.

Two young protesters kiss inside a graffitied bus being used as a barricade.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

Two young protesters kiss inside a graffitied bus being used as a barricade.

Another demonstrator in a Guy Fawkes mask stands in front of a burnt bus.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

Another demonstrator in a Guy Fawkes mask stands in front of a burnt bus.

A desmontrator sleeps among piles of debris in a building damaged during the recent protests.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

A desmontrator sleeps among piles of debris in a building damaged during the recent protests.

A masked protester walks past graffiti on a barricaded street in the area.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

A masked protester walks past graffiti on a barricaded street in the area.

A demonstrator runs from a burning container in Taksim Square.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

A demonstrator runs from a burning container in Taksim Square.

A group of tourists walk through the square in the daylight. Police and protesters have tended to clash after dark, but settle down during the day.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

A group of tourists walk through the square in the daylight. Police and protesters have tended to clash after dark, but settle down during the day.

A mask with a pair of goggles stuck to it is placed on top of a pole at the square. Some protestors have worn goggles and surgical masks to defend themselves from the effects of teargas used by police.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

A mask with a pair of goggles stuck to it is placed on top of a pole at the square. Some protestors have worn goggles and surgical masks to defend themselves from the effects of teargas used by police.

A protester uses her mobile as she walks in Gezi Park.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

A protester uses her mobile as she walks in Gezi Park.

Protesters sing and shout slogans during a demonstration.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

Protesters sing and shout slogans during a demonstration.

Protesters play volleyball at Taksim Square.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

Protesters play volleyball at Taksim Square.

A demonstrator wearing a Guy Fawkes mask sleeps on a chair.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

A demonstrator wearing a Guy Fawkes mask sleeps on a chair.

A woman stands in the middle of Taksim Square in the bright daylight.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

A woman stands in the middle of Taksim Square in the bright daylight.

A red door forms part of a barricade blocking a road leading to the square.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

A red door forms part of a barricade blocking a road leading to the square.

A demonstrator waves a Turkish flag on the fourth night of protests.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

A demonstrator waves a Turkish flag on the fourth night of protests.

Protesters carry stones to build a barricade on a street leading to Taksim Square.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

Protesters carry stones to build a barricade on a street leading to Taksim Square.

Anti-government protesters lie on the ground.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

Anti-government protesters lie on the ground.

A demonstrator sleeps with his head resting on his dog in Taksim Square.
. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

A demonstrator sleeps with his head resting on his dog in Taksim Square.

. ISTANBUL, Turkey. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

Anti-government protesters amass in the iconic square.