Berlin police break up Turkish fan march
The Wolf's Greeting is not banned in Germany but contains a clear extremist right-wing message. During the march of Turkish supporters before the EM-Quarterfinal against the Netherlands, fans showed it in large numbers. The Berlin Police intervened.
The Berlin Police ended the fan march of Turkish supporters before the EM-Quarterfinal against the Netherlands. The reason was that many Turkish football fans continued and "massively" displayed the right-wing extremist Wolf's Greeting. The Turkish fans were called upon via loudspeakers to move individually towards the stadium. The fan bus was "pulled out" and the fan walk was broken off.
The police had interrupted the fan march for the first time an hour earlier and appealed to Turkish fans to stop showing the Wolf's Greeting. A fan march is "no platform for political messages," the police wrote.
The situation before the EM-match in Berlin was further heated up by the Wolf's Greeting of the Turkish national player Merih Demiral. He had shown the gesture after his second goal in the Round of 16 against Austria and was suspended for two games by UEFA for it. The decision of the European Football Union (UEFA) caused partial outrage in Turkey. Turkish football Ultras called on fans to show the Wolf's Greeting in the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
Turkey summoned the German ambassador in Ankara. The Foreign Office in Berlin summoned the Turkish ambassador in response. During the quarterfinal of the Turkish national team against the Netherlands (from 21 hours at RTL and in the ntv.de-Live Ticker), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected in the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
The Wolf's Greeting is the symbol of the right-wing extremist Turkish organization Grey Wolves. In Turkey, it is used by the ultranationalist party MHP, which is a partner of the Erdogan government. The greeting is nonetheless not banned in Germany. In an interview with ntv, journalist and author Eren Guvercin explained that the Grey Wolves have already committed pogroms against Alevites, Syrian refugees, and other minorities in Turkey using the Wolf's Greeting.
Turkey summoned the German ambassador in Ankara in response to criticism from the German government over the gesture. The Foreign Office in Berlin summoned the Turkish ambassador in response. During the quarterfinal of the Turkish national team against the Netherlands (from 21 hours at RTL and in the ntv.de-Live Ticker), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected in the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
- The German authorities have not banned the Wolf's Greeting, despite its association with right-wing extremism, as it originates from the Turkish organization Grey Wolves.
- The European Football Union (UEFA) suspended Turkish national player Merih Demiral for two games due to his display of the Wolf's Greeting during the Round of 16 match against Austria, sparking controversy in Turkey.
- Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, is expected to attend the UEFA European Football Championship 2024 quarterfinal match between Turkey and the Netherlands in Berlin, adding a political dimension to the event.
