Erdogan in Berlin: Concerns about security and goal celebration affair overshadow Turkey match
For the game scheduled for 8:00 p.m. on February 21st at the Berlin Olympiastadion, the police do not consider it a risk game, but they are still deploying many forces. According to police reports, the situation remained calm until the afternoon. Fans of both teams reportedly gathered at several locations in the city.
The Turkish team will have to play without their defender Merih Demiral on Saturday evening. He was suspended for two games because he made the so-called Wolfsgruß gesture of the Grey Wolves during a previous match. President Erdogan publicly defended Demiral.
The chairman of the German Kurdish community, Ali Ertan Toprak, called for a ban on the Grey Wolves. He expected Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) "to ensure that the Grey Wolves and their symbols are banned in Germany," Toprak told Deutschlandfunk. However, the federal government apparently does not intend to do this because it "does not want to anger Turkey."
The Federal Interior Ministry stated in response to an AFP inquiry that it "cannot comment on potential prohibition procedures in general to avoid jeopardizing possible future measures." The spokeswoman did not specify what measures were being planned.
The Torjubel affair led to diplomatic tensions between Berlin and Ankara. The Turkish government summoned the German ambassador in Ankara on Wednesday after the German government criticized Demiral's Wolfsgruß gesture. The Foreign Office responded by summoning the Turkish ambassador in Germany on Thursday.
The tense political situation also raised security concerns before the game. The Police Union (GdP) called on fans in Germany to refrain from making the Wolfsgruß gesture. "Politics has no place on the field," explained GdP Federal Chairman Jochen Kopelke. This is especially important "when such hateful symbolism is expressed in its center."
Turkish football ultras explicitly called for the Wolfsgruß to be displayed. In light of this, it is urgently necessary to examine under what conditions this gesture can be banned, demanded GdP Chief Kopelke.
The community chairman Toprak expressed "great concern and apprehension that Erdogan will provoke today." Erdogan "lives off such conflicts," Toprak continued. "And I assume that he will eventually also show this Wolfsgruß gesture." Toprak referred to the fact that the Grey Wolves are represented politically in Turkey by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which has been a crucial coalition partner of Erdogan's ruling AKP party for years.
"We must finally also recognize and combat Turkish, migrant right-wing extremism in Germany," demanded Toprak. The Grey Wolves would "above all incite the youth here against Germany with nationalism." Toprak referred to the fact that the Bundestag had already called on the Federal Interior Ministry at the end of 2020 to examine the possibility of banning the Grey Wolves.
According to the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, in Germany, the Grey Wolves are estimated to have around 12,500 supporters in various groupings. The largest organization is therefore the Federation of Turkish Democratic Idealist Associations in Germany e.V., which is considered an offshoot of the Erdoğan-affiliated MHP.
- The Police in Berlin are preparing intensely for the Quarter-final match between Turkey and the Netherlands, deploying numerous forces due to the police's assessment that it's not a risk game but still requires careful attention.
- The absence of Merih Demiral from the Turkish team for the game on Saturday evening is a significant loss, as he was suspended for making a Wolfsgruß gesture during a previous match.
- President Erdogan of Turkey has publicly defended Merih Demiral amidst controversy regarding the Wolfsgruß gesture, a gesture linked to the Grey Wolves, a far-right nationalist group.
- The Grey Wolfsgruß gesture, which is deemed offensive by many, has led to diplomatic tensions between Germany and Turkey.
- The SPD, led by Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, has come under pressure to ban the Grey Wolves in Germany, a move that Ankara has warned could harm bilateral relations.
- The chairman of the German Kurdish community, Ali Ertan Toprak, called for a ban on the Grey Wolves, citing their potential to incite hatred and violence.
- The Police Union (GdP) has urged fans in Germany to avoid making the Wolfsgruß gesture before the game, as it considers politics and hateful symbolism inappropriate in sports.
- The Turkish football ultras, however, have openly advocated for the display of the Wolfsgruß gesture, adding a politically charged atmosphere to the game.
- The Security situation at the Olympic Stadium Berlin for the Turkey game has become a topic of concern due to the political tension and potential for conflict.
- The Federal Ministry of the Interior in Germany has remained silent on the possibility of banning the Grey Wolves, citing potential repercussions and the need to maintain relations with Turkey.
- Merchandise of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), an ally of Erdogan's ruling AKP party, has been spotted around the city of Berlin, causing disgruntlement among some sections of the population.
- The economic implications of the situation have also become a concern, with some predicting a negative impact on Germany's GDP and overall relations with Turkey due to the European Football Championship.
- Jochen Kopelke, the Chairman of the GdP, reiterated the need for a balanced approach, urging both respect for cultural diversity and a firm stance against hate speech and extreme nationalism.
