The sound of riot guns tears through the crowd and everyone flinches. Tear gas canisters litter Istanbul's streets. Sirens blare as protesters hurl smoking projectiles back at police. A man tries to flush out his eyes with water. Demonstrators chant in unison against their government.
These scenes construct "Revolution in 90 Seconds," a video posted to Vimeo showing Turkey's ongoing protests.
On Friday, thousands of Turks marched in protest of the redevelopment of Istanbul's Taksim Dezi Park. The Turkish government plans to replace the park with a shopping mall and a rebuilt former Ottoman army barracks.
Clashes broke out when police used tear gas and water hoses to disperse crowds.
The square, often used for political gatherings, has become a symbol of Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian rule to Turkey's opposition groups. Reuters notes:
Erdogan has overseen a transformation in Turkey during his decade in power, turning its economy from crisis-prone into Europe's fastest-growing, and remains by far the country's most popular politician.
But critics point to his authoritarianism and what they say is his religiously conservative government's meddling in private life in the secular republic, accusing him of behaving like a modern-day sultan.
According to the Associated Press, several countries, including the the U.S., UK and Sweden asked citizens to stay away from areas where protests were held.
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