European Championship match against the Netherlands - Thousands of Turkey fans show wolf salute during the national anthem
Thousands of fans of the Turkish football national team disturbed Merih Demiral's protected figure during the national anthem at the European Championship quarter-final against the Netherlands, heating up the Wolfsgruß debate further. The red-white dressed supporters formed the symbol of the "Grey Wolves" with both hands just before the EM semi-final against the Netherlands in response to an Ultras call.
National player Demiral had celebrated his second goal in the EM round of 16 against Austria with the so-called Wolfsgruß, whose origin is attributed to a right-wing extremist movement. The UEFA had suspended him for two games for this.
Fan march cancelled due to Wolfsgruß
Due to the uproar over the gesture, there had been intense political turmoil in the past few days. The Turkish Foreign Ministry considered the UEFA investigation against Demiral unacceptable. The Turkish Ultra-Grouping emphasized that the Wolfsgruß was 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 the Olympiastadion was ended due to "continuous political messages", as the police announced. A fan march is "no platform for political messages", it was further stated.
The Wolfsgruß usually expresses affiliation or sympathy with the Turkish ultra-right wing Ülkücü Movement and its ideology. In Turkey, it is used, for example, by the ultranationalist party MHP, which is a partner of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan himself had traveled to Berlin for the game.
See above in the video: Netherlands advance to the EM semi-final after winning against Turkey
- Despite the suspension, Merih Demiral from the Turkish national soccer team performed the Wolfsgruß gesture during the team's anthem at the European Football Championship quarter-final against Germany.
- The German fans, especially the Ultras, were anticipating the encounter against the Turkish national soccer team and their controversial Wolfsgruß symbol.
- The Turkish National soccer team's national anthem was played before the EM semifinal against the Dutch national soccer team, but the attention was drawn to the fans' actions rather than the music.
- The Austrian fans showed their disappointment after the Turkish national soccer team's Merih Demiral celebrated his goal with the controversial Wolfsgruß gesture during the EM round of 16 match against Austria.
- The controversy surrounding the Wolfsgruß gesture at the European Football Championship was fueled by the Turkish national soccer team's fans, who displayed it during their fan march towards the Olympiastadion.
- The Turkish Ultra-Grouping argued that the Wolfsgruß, which is linked to right-wing extremism, was merely a national symbol of Turkishness and not a racist or disparaging gesture.
- UEFA had conducted an investigation into the use of the Wolfsgruß by the Turkish national soccer team's players, leading to a two-game suspension for Merih Demiral.
- Erdogan, the Turkish president, supported his national soccer team amidst the controversy and expressed his disapproval of the UEFA's investigation against Merih Demiral.
- The Dutch national soccer team made it to the EM semi-final after defeating the Turkish national soccer team, who were caught up in a storm of controversy surrounding their players' use of the Wolfsgruß throughout the tournament.
