Turkish and Dutch fans argue on the fan mile

European Football Championship - Turkish and Dutch fans argue on the fan mile

During the tense EM-Quarterfinal match between Turkey and the Netherlands, disputes between fans of both teams occurred on the fan scene in Berlin. In a video that the "Berliner Zeitung" posted at X, it was visible how supporters of the teams charged at each other and were eventually separated by stewards and other people who wanted to calm things down. The incident is said to have occurred after the 2:1 winning goal by the Dutch team. Police were reportedly only present afterwards, according to another post.

The police could initially make no statements. A spokeswoman said that the incident was known, but she could not yet say whether officers had intervened. Previously, she had reported that the operation as a whole had run smoothly until shortly after the referee's final whistle at the Berlin Olympic Stadium.

There had been some arrests. Because many Turkish football fans had continued to show the controversial Wolfsgruß sign, the police had ended the fan march before the game. The reason was "continuous political messages". Turkish fans were urged via loudspeakers to move individually towards the stadium if they had a ticket for the game, the statement continued.

1. The disputes between Dutch and Turkish fans at Fan Mile during the European Football Championship quarterfinal in Berlin received significant attention from the German media, with the Berliner Zeitung publishing a video of the incident.
2. Although the incident involving the two sets of fans resulted in charges and countercharges, it was reported that the police had only arrived on the scene after the 2:1 winning goal by the Netherlands.
3. The presence of the police was a source of controversy, with some questioning why they hadn't intervened earlier, while others speculated that their late arrival may have been due to the focus on maintaining order during the match itself.
4. As tensions between the two fan groups escalated, extreme expressions of nationalism from some Turkish supporters resulted in the temporary suspension of their fan march, as per the orders of the German police.
5. The police intervention also highlighted the ongoing challenges of managing fan behavior at major soccer events, particularly in a vibrant European city like Berlin, where differing cultural expressions and political views can sometimes clash.
6. Echoing concerns raised across Europe, German authorities have emphasized the need for a zero-tolerance approach to fan extremism, as soccer matches continue to serve as a platform for escalating nationalist sentiment and potential violence.

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