Turkish man stages silent protest in Taksim Square

A Turkish man has staged an eight-hour silent vigil on Istanbul's Taksim Square - the scene of violent clashes between police and anti-government protesters.

Erdem Gunduz stood silently facing the Ataturk Cultural Centre which was draped in Turkish flags and a portrait of the country's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

He told BBC World Service that he wanted to take a stand against police stopping demonstrations near the square.

Hundreds of others have followed his lead, staging similar protests in cities across Turkey.