Performance artist Erdem Gündüz started a silent protest in Taksim Square Monday evening, simply standing in the Square, facing the Atatürk Cultural Center, without moving or speaking for hours.

In a video published on social media, plainclothes policemen are seen asking Gündüz questions and searching his backpack as they receive no answer from him.

As the standing man was soon joined by hundeds of others doing likewise, giving no answer to the questions directed to them, police detained fifteen among them and took them to the police headquarters in Karaköy.

According to Radikal daily, lawyer Volkan Gültekin, who undertook the advocacy of the group, says that even police didn't know what to do against the action. According to Gültekin, police have started proceedings against the group for allegedly “resisting against police without violence and moving”.

The lawyer said the action of the group wasn't included in the scope of the law on meetings and demonstrations nor did it require the permission of authorities.

The civil disobedience action by the "standing man", inspired similar protests across Istanbul and other cities in short time. Many people have staged “standing” actions in spots that witnessed the murder of protestors during Gezi Park protests as well as of the Armenian journalist Hrant dink who was killed in front of his office in Istanbul on January 19, 2007. The standing man has been an icon of peaceful protest across the world.