German police launched have investigations into 64 fans of the Turkish national team on various accusations following a game between Turkey and the Netherlands in Berlin on Saturday, Deutsche Welle Turkish edition and German media outlets reported.
The build-up to the quarter-final clash of the Euro 2024 football championship, which ended with Netherlands’ victory, in Berlin was overshadowed by security concerns and a diplomatic row between Turkey and Germany after Turkey defender Merih Demiral was banned for two matches for giving a controversial salute after a game against Austria in the round of 16 on July 2.
The salute, which Demiral made to the crowd after scoring his second goal in Turkey’s 2-1 victory game, is associated with Turkish ultranationalist group the Grey Wolves.
His gesture triggered a diplomatic row between Turkey and Euro 2024 host nation Germany, where an estimated 3 million Turks live.
Before the game on Saturday, tens of thousands of Turks had gathered around Berlin’s Olympiastadion, while others wanted to march from Breitscheid Square to the stadium. When the fans began to give the “grey wolf” salute en masse, the Berlin police asked them to “refrain from showing this sign,” the police tweeted on Saturday afternoon, adding, “A fan walk is not a platform for political messages.” The march was halted by the police, and the fans were told to make their own way to the game, as long as they had a ticket for it.
Although the German police had warned fans to refrain from giving the “wolf salute,” some people were still making the gesture, and there were also banners with fascist slogans displayed around the stadium.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and former national player Mesut Özil were among the spectators in the stands.
There were reports of violence in Berlin following Saturday’s game, which led to the brief detention of some of the Turkey fans and the injury of two police officers.
According to police reports, people had to be restrained in 54 instances during the police operation at the game. In addition, police initiated 64 criminal investigations based on allegations of causing bodily injury, trespassing, insult, fraud and drug possession.
Around 3,200 police officers were on duty on Saturday, with units from Brandenburg, Bavaria, Hesse, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia supporting the Federal Police in Berlin.
Germany’s agriculture minister, Cem Özdemir, who has Turkish roots, praised the performance of the Turkish national team on X following its defeat by the Netherlands, however, criticized some fans who ruined the atmosphere.
“The performance of the Turkish team deserves respect. Unfortunately, some of them ruined it again in the stands,” tweeted Özdemir, who also slammed the “grey wolf’ salute as standing for “terror [and] fascism.”
The Turkish and German foreign ministries summoned each other’s ambassadors last week due to the row over Demiral’s salute.
The Grey Wolves are regarded as the militant wing of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and has been banned in France and Austria but not in Germany.
The group advocated radical ideas and used violence in the 1980s against leftist activists and ethnic minorities.