Turkish police fired tear gas at protesters gathered outside Zaman newspaper's offices in Istanbul as authorities seized control of the country's largest paper, Reuters reports.

The raid against the newspaper is reportedly part of a widening crackdown against supporters of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, an influential opponent of President Tayyip Erdogan.

Several people were affected by tear gas as police charged at protesters to disperse the crowd who chanted 'Free press cannot be silenced' and carried placards reading 'Hands off my newspaper'.

Police evacuated Zaman's offices after entering the building by forcibly breaking down a gate.

Zaman is Turkey's biggest selling newspaper, with a circulation of 650,000 as of the end of February