It has become almost a daily ritual for armed police to line Taksim Square, the epicentre of Turkey's fiery anti-government protests.
But despite the heavy police presence, protesters say they will keep coming back until they get what they want.
“We are here because we want freedom. We don't want…war, we just want freedom and peace”, one protester tells SBS.
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“I just demand my basic democratic rights”, says another.
Watch tonight's Insight: What on Earth is going on in Turkey? at 8:30pm on SBS ONE
But protesting is not without its costs. Another day of protesting ends with pepper spray sending protesters and journalists scrambling.
Many say this is the price of democracy in Turkey.
It's one more and more seem willing to pay.
“We're changing first the country and I think we're going to change the world as well," anti-government protester Leyla Arsan says.
With Turkey's bid to join the European Union formalised eight years ago, protesters say they hope the member states are watching Taksim Square.
“The EU now sees what is happening in Turkey. The EU now sees that people are democratic and want democracy and this is very positive I think”, says Arsan.
But negotiations on Turkey's membership have been postponed for at least four months.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel described it as “punishment for what Germany, the Netherlands and France condemn as an appalling attack on freedom of speech”.
Some say there are deeper objections to Turkey's possible membership.
“The Christian Democratic parties of Northern Europe, let's put it that way, have always been very dubious about Turkey's EU process," says Cengiz Aktar from the Department of Relations with the European Union.
"And there is one single reason unfortunately, behind that and it's the religion of the country.
"Turkey is a Muslim country and Christian democrats and Europeans in general don't know how to co-exist with Islam”, he says.
And there's another vote that hangs nervously in the balance: Istanbul is one of three cities shortlisted as potential hosts for the 2020 Olympics.
The final decision is just two months away.
“If these incidents, hurdles continue, the 2020 Olympics will remain a dream. Who will be the loser? We will lose as a nation. Istanbul will lose”, says Istanbul's mayor Kadir Topbas.
It's that fear – along with anger at growing division and destruction – that has seen some original supporters of the uprising turn their backs.
“The whole situation has been hijacked,” government supporter Hative Haner tells SBS.
“Even if there was a message it has been overshadowed and today what we're facing is mob violence, basically," says another government supporter, Sumeyye Koc.
What began as a fight to save a park from being bulldozed is now being likened to the Arab awakening.
But with no sign of a truce, what worries protesters most is whether the government - or the people - will bear the cost.
