German pianist Davide Martello, known for performing for demonstrators during the 2013 Gezi Park protests in İstanbul, was forced to leave Turkey after playing at recent demonstrations sparked by the arrest of the city’s opposition mayor, he announced on social media.
Martello, widely recognized for playing in war zones and at demonstrations, first gained prominence in Turkey in 2013 when he performed for Gezi Park protesters in İstanbul’s central Taksim Square. His music became a symbol of resistance during the protests, which erupted in response to government plans to demolish the park.
The pianist shared news of his departure on Instagram on Thursday, posting a photo of the European Union flag with a note: “I am finally back in a democratic world.”
In a detailed post Martello said he was detained near Mehmet Ayvalıtaş Square in Kadıköy, where he was to perform on Wednesday night, by a group of 20 police officers.
He was unable to play in Taksim Square due to a ban on gatherings.
He said the police officers attempted to force him to post a message on Instagram saying that he was unable to play that night. He claimed he managed to evade their demands by quickly posting a different message using a secondary phone.
Following his detention, police transported Martello to a police station, where they allegedly tried to separate his piano trailer from his car, damaging its hydraulic brake system in the process.
He said that after being released, he drove from Kadıköy to the Bulgarian border, where a border guard informed him that his trailer’s tires were overheating due to the damaged brakes. Martello also claimed he was followed by undercover officers during his journey and was unable to stop for repairs until after crossing into Bulgaria.
“Goodbye, İstanbul. I’m sorry I couldn’t play and support you any longer. It was a short but intense visit,” he wrote.
Martello had also faced police action in 2013 when authorities seized his piano, car and phone during the Gezi Park protests.
The latest protests sparked over the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu last month are the most widespread protests in the country since the Gezi Park protests.
The opposition and the protestors accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of trying to sideline his most powerful political rival by ensuring his arrest on politically motivated charges.