BBC News 5 March 2016: ‘Turkey’s biggest newspaper, Zaman, has condemned its takeover by the authorities in a defiant last edition published just before police raided it.’

Cocaine? Line of white…helmets snaking across the foyer of the publishing house, copying by chance the curved balcony of the floor above, thronged with journalists, modernists.

Only for a nano-sec, sickened journos look down on the white line of primitives looming up at them.

Under attack from the state – these innocent men, embarrassed by naked power.
Younger than the old West, men in suits, no ties, bound to ideals; dressed to go argue, drink coffee with John Stuart Mill and Jean-Paul Sartre.

How quaint is their personification of progress.

Outside: shaft of watery light canons into crowd of protesters.
Splits the people like an axe.

Retreat: clustering like cattle, women in frumpy coats and floral silk headscarves; bovine and Bette Davis, both.

Runaways listing like penitents burdened with sin. Under the eyes soft skin itching until teardrops explode.
Please accept my apologies for such an undisciplined description – it’s the teargas talking.

Doffs his gasmask, offs his helmet, riot police leans in like a courtier to the stricken lady looking up at him.

Pain in her face in place of petticoats and pleasantries.

Zaman‘s a man for all that.

https://soundcloud.com/risingeastpodcasts/zaman-notw