European Football Championship - Turkish Ultras: Fans should show wolf salute in Berlin
Turkish football ultras called on fans at the Berlin Olympiastadion during the EURO 2020 quarter-final match of their team against the Netherlands to display the controversial Wolf's Salute. All supporters on the tribune were invited to make the gesture during the national anthem, according to a call on the platform X.
Turkish national player Merih Demiral celebrated his second goal in the EURO 2020 round of 16 against Austria with the so-called Wolf's Salute, whose origin is linked to a right-wing extremist movement. He may face a ban for this.
Due to the controversy surrounding the gesture, there was intense political debate in recent days. The Turkish Foreign Ministry considered the UEFA investigation against Demiral unacceptable. The Turkish Ultra-Grouping emphasized that the Wolf's Salute is not to be understood as racist but "the national symbol of Turkishness".
Police speak of a "Nonplusultra-High-Risk Game"
The Wolf's Salute usually expresses affiliation or sympathy with the Turkish ultranationalist Ülkücü Movement and its ideology. In Turkey, it is used, for example, by the ultranationalist MHP party, which is a partner of the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In the context of rising nationalism, representatives of the political center have recently used the sign to appeal to voters from nationalist circles. An example is the former Erdogan challenger and Middle-Left Politician Kemal Kilicdaroglu during the 2023 Presidential election campaign in Germany. The Ülkücü Movement is monitored by the German Constitutional Protection Agency.
Amidst the controversy over Demiral's gesture, Erdogan announced his visit to the quarter-final in Berlin on Saturday. A spokesperson for the Berlin Police Union described the game as a "Nonplusultra-High-Risk Game".
- The controversy surrounding the Wolf's Salute in politics has reached Germany, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to attend the EURO 2020 quarter-final match in Berlin.
- During the EURO 2020 quarter-final match between Turkey and the Netherlands, Turkish fans at the Olympiastadion were encouraged to display the controversial Wolf's Salute, a gesture with links to right-wing extremism.
- Merih Demiral, a Turkish national soccer player, celebrated his goal against Austria in the EURO 2020 round of 16 with the Wolf's Salute, a gesture that could potentially lead to a ban due to its association with extremism.
- The Wolf's Salute is a symbol of affiliation or support for the Turkish ultranationalist Ülkücü Movement, a group that is closely linked to the MHP party, a partner of the Turkish government led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
- The EURO 2020 match between Turkey and the Netherlands is being labeled as a "Nonplusultra-High-Risk Game" by German authorities due to the potential for extremist activities among Turkish fans.
- Police are on high alert for potential extremist activities among the Turkish fans during the EURO 2020 quarter-final match in Berlin, as both Turkish soccer fans and the Ülkücü Movement have a history of political extremism.
- The Wolf's Salute has gained widespread usage in recent years, even among some political center figures, such as the former Erdogan challenger and Middle-Left Politician Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who used it during the 2023 Presidential election campaign in Germany.
- The Dutch fans at the EURO 2020 quarter-final match against Turkey may also be a point of contention, as their ultranationalist fan group, the Ultras, has a history of conflicts with Turkish fans and the Turkish government.
