About an hour ago large numbers of police began moving into Gezi Park using tear gas and water cannons.
They have taken control of the park and there is a major effort under way to clean out tents and all other protest related materials from the park.
The area around the park are surrounded by thousands of police.
There are reports of injuries but nothing definite.
There are also reports of protests breaking out in other places in Istanbul and around the country.
This action was not unexpected but it was a surprise that it happened tonight.
PM Erdoğan had a large rally in Ankara today and another in Istanbul tomorow. He wants/needs to make a show of force and control for his supporters.
The police are now using tear gas and water cannons on protesters who gathered on the main street leading to Taksim Square and Gezi Park.
There was discussion among the protesters today about their withdrawing from the park tomorrow and only leaving a symbolic tent in the park. They began taking down barricades and making preparations to do so.
Also today the PM threatened in his speech at the AKP rally in Ankara to force the protesters out of the park tomorrow.
But the police raided the park tonight.
Update:
Multiple protests are happening in many locations across the country.
In Ankara opposition MPs are doing a sit-in between the police and a large group of protesters.
This is a freeway in Istanbul:
http://video.sozcu.com.tr/...
Claudia Roth, Co-Chair of the German Green Party, was very near Gezi Park when the police moved in and was badly effected by the gas.
These are in German, maybe someone can tranlate the important points:
http://www.bild.de/...
http://www.spiegel.de/...
Photos of Ms. Roth:
http://sozcu.com.tr/...