Thousands of Turkey fans show wolf salute during the anthem

European Football Championship - Thousands of Turkey fans show wolf salute during the anthem

Thousands of fans of the Turkish football national team supported their banned protege Merih Demiral during the national anthem, amplifying the Wolfsgruß debate. Right before the EURO quarter-final against the Netherlands, the red-white clad supporters formed the symbol of the "Grey Wolves" with both hands, responding to a call from the Ultras.

National player Demiral had celebrated his second goal in the EURO round of 16 against Austria with the so-called Wolfsgruß, whose origin is attributed to a right-wing extremist movement. He was suspended by UEFA for two games due to this.

Fan march cancelled due to Wolfsgruß

There had been intense political turmoil regarding the gesture in the past few days. The Turkish Foreign Ministry deemed the UEFA investigation against Demiral unacceptable. The Turkish Ultra-grouping emphasized that the Wolfsgruß is not to be understood as racist but "the national symbol of Turkishness."

Hours before the game, Turkish fans had signaled their support with the Wolfsgruß. The fan march towards Olympiastadion was terminated due to "continued political messages," as the police announced. A fan march is "no platform for political messages," it was further stated.

The Wolfsgruß typically represents affiliation or sympathy with the Turkish ultranationalist Ülkücü Movement and its ideology. In Turkey, it is used by the ultranationalist MHP party, which is a partner in the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan himself had traveled to Berlin for the game.

1. Despite the UEFA suspension, Merih Demiral received a warm reception from the Ultras during the German leg of the European Football Championship.
2. The Dutch soccer team was inevitably caught in the middle of the controversy surrounding Demiral's Wolfsgruß celebration.
3. The EURO quarters in Berlin became a battleground for the debate on the controversial Wolf greeting, as fans from both Turkey and the Netherlands attended the game.
4. The Turkish national soccer team's anthem was played with reinforced fervor, as fans continued to demonstrate the Wolfsgruß, emphasizing their national identity.
5. The German authorities monitored the situation closely, aware of the potential for escalation from extreme fan groups, such as the far-right Turkish Wolf Pack.
6. In response to the controversy, the Austrian authorities refused to allow any fan marches during the ongoing European Football Championship, citing concerns around extremism.
7. The Turkish Football Federation maintained a strong stance, insisting that the Wolf greeting was a symbol of Turkishness, devoid of any racial or extremist connotations.
8. Protests erupted outside the Olympiastadion in Berlin, as fans from rival nationalities clashed over the divisive issue of the Wolf greeting, marred by a series of violent encounters.
9. Following the EURO quarter-final, the controversy surrounding the Wolf greeting continued to dominate headlines, as both governments and soccer governing bodies grappled with the challenge of balancing fan expression and political sensitivity.

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