Video: The last stand in Turkey’s Taksim Square

Overnight, Turkish riot police moved into Istanbul’s Taksim Square in an effort to evict thousands of protesters following nearly two weeks of demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In some of the most chaotic clashes yet, police deployed tear gas and water cannons while protesters lobbed stones and fireworks. By Wednesday morning, the square was largely clear — "strewn with wreckage from bulldozed barricades," according to Reuters.

As Turkey’s leaders call for dialogue and protests continue to crop up in other locations, here’s a look at some of the most striking footage from Tuesday’s clashes.

With tear gas rolling down a narrow street, a protester dances joyfully with his middle fingers in the air:

Here’s a good overview of how the protests played out during the day:

When night fell, the fireworks came out in Taksim:

With fires burning in the background and tear gas wafting through the square, a group of protesters face down a police water-cannon truck:

Fireworks in Taksim:

RT’s camera crews have a knack for finding themselves in the center of the action: