Berlin police stopped a Türkiye soccer fan march forward of the Euro 2024 quarterfinals in opposition to the Netherlands over wolf salute.
A fan march is “not a platform for political messages,” the police introduced on X.
German authorities additionally closed and evacuated two official Berlin fan zones on the Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag blaming “approaching storms and squalls.”
But each fan zones reopened some two hours earlier than kick-off between Netherlands and Türkiye, scheduled for 7 p.m. GMT, as “the strong squalls and the potential storm have passed over Berlin and the weather situation improved considerably,” organizers mentioned.
Turkish followers are indignant after defender Merih Demiral was controversially banned for 2 video games by match organizer UEFA for giving the Turkic wolf salute after his second objective within the 2-1 last-16 win over Austria.
UEFA deemed the gesture to have a far-right nature, however Turkish officers say it’s nothing of the type.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan landed in Berlin for the sport and arrived on the stadium shortly earlier than kick-off, the Anadolu news company reported.
He plans to go away Berlin’s Olympic Stadium to return to Türkiye the identical night, Erdogan’s workplace informed dpa.
The president had dismissed criticism of the gesture, saying that the participant had solely expressed his “enthusiasm.”
Turkish broadcaster TRT described UEFA’s resolution as a “scandal” whereas the soccer federation head Mehmet Büyükeksi known as it “unacceptable, illegal and political.”
Former Turkish Germany participant Mesut Özil threw his assist behind Demiral by posting his picture on Instagram earlier than the Euro 2024 quarterfinalists.
He posted the {photograph} just a few hours earlier than the sport, together with the caption “Come on Türkiye!”
Source: www.dailysabah.com