The rally, which gathered some 500 people, had begun peacefully at Istiklal Street in the centre of the European side of the city.

Police intervened as demonstrators attempted to form a human chain and shouted slogans against the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and its offensive against Kurdish militants.

Jets from a water cannon were fired down the middle of the street -- a busy shopping area -- and police used tear gas as demonstrators ran for cover.

Among those detained was Yasin Akgul, a Turkish freelance photographer who works as a stringer for Agence France-Presse (AFP).

He was pinned to the ground by several police as he tried to take pictures of the arrests.

Akgul was taken to a waiting police van before being released after colleagues remonstrated that he was a media photographer.

Akgul was given hospital treatment for an arm injury but was later allowed to go home.

Reports said a cameraman from the state-run Anatolia news agency was also injured.

Anatolia reported that a total of 14 people had been arrested.

Turkish cities are tense as the government presses a controversial campaign against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants, with security forces clamping down on any signs of large scale protest.