An Italian photographer who was detained by Turkish police during a crackdown on thousands of protesters in Istanbul returned to Rome on Tuesday.

Daniele Stefanini, 29, said that he was struck on the head by police last Saturday during a demonstration in Taksim Square, the Turkish capital's center.

The photographer was hospitalized and then placed in police custody before being released last night following an intervention by Italian diplomats.

"I was taking pictures amid the clashes, when police took my equipment and detained me along with other people. I don't know why it happened, as I was only working. Perhaps, I was mistaken for a protester," Stefanini told Italian Rai state television.

The photographer said he was treated "very badly" by Turkish police. "I understand that they felt exhausted by their job but I cannot accept their methods," he added.

Protests in Istanbul started last month as environmentalists rallied to preserve Gezi Park which was to be replaced by a shopping center as part of an urban renewal plan.