14 Jun 2013

Taksim piano protester aims to ‘bring peace’

A pianist performs for 12 hours in Istanbul’s Taksim Square in protest against the recent violence – and vows to continue until Turkish PM Erdogan agrees to negotiate with demonstrators.

German pianist Davide Martello started to play the piano on Thursday night in Taksim Square and has continued to play non-stop for the next 12 hours.

His main aim is to unite people for peace, he said.

“I am just playing because I want to show peace and not to attack people. I want to manipulate with music people’s mind, the police’s mind,” he said.

“I will continue to send until Erdogan stops. I will fight with my piano until Erdogan says ‘Stop, we will talk’,” said Martello.

He came to Turkey from Germany, carrying his piano in a small van.