In a display of intolerance towards political messages, the Berlin police took a stand by stopping the march of Turkish fans before the highly anticipated Netherlands-Turkey quarter-final match at the European Championship. The fans, en masse, were seen making the hand gesture associated with the Turkish far-right group “Grey Wolves”.
Recognizing the significance of the situation, the Berlin police intervened, calling on the fans to cease making the controversial sign. In a statement released on a police platform, they emphasized that the fan march should not serve as a platform for political messages.
The timing of this incident adds even more weight to the already strained diplomatic relations between Berlin and Ankara. The Netherlands-Turkey match, scheduled to take place at the Olympia Stadium in Berlin, was expected to be attended by the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Interestingly, the “Grey Wolves” gesture gained prominence recently when Turkish defender Merih Demiral used it to celebrate the goals he scored in the round of 16 match against Austria. This has brought further attention to the hand gesture and its political connotations.
The actions taken by the Berlin police demonstrate their commitment to maintaining order and preventing the propagation of political ideologies within sporting events. By addressing this issue, they aim to ensure that matches such as the Netherlands-Turkey quarter-final remain focused on the spirit of the game and the unifying power of sportsmanship.