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Aino Salmi is opening her photo exhibition "Tear Gas Ole!" on 29. January, 17.00 in National Library of Estonia.

Tear Gas Ole!

In Istanbul, the Taksim Square is packed with thousands of people. Many of them have covered their faces with scarves. The protests are held against the recent conservative acts of the government.
“We are tired of this bullshit! Our prime minister invents arbitrary laws on daily basis. He is taking away our right to normal everyday life," huffs a man through his paper mask.

The tear gas is shot. It is yellow and orange and it fills the whole area. People start to cough, the eyes become red and start to shed tears. It is hard to breathe.

Then someone walks in the middle of the orange smoke with the gas mask on. He raises his middle finger at the police and starts to sing: 
"Biber Gaz Oley! Biber Gaz Oley!" (Tear gas ole! Tear gas ole!) 
First there are dozens, then hundreds of people joining in the choir with their hands in the air. Their chanting overcomes the night of Istanbul like a massive wave rolling down the streets. The air is thick with smoke, defiance and adrenaline.


In recent years, after the Arab Spring, there have been several protests and demonstrations in many countries around the world. Photographer Aino Salmi has captured protesters and riots in Istanbul and Moscow in 2012 and 2013.