German Police Prevented March of Turkish Football Fans

German police stated that they prevented a march by supporters of the Turkish national football team before their match in the quarter-finals of the European Championship due to the display of a symbol associated with Turkey's far-right by some fans. Merih Demiral, a defender for the Turkish national team, was punished by FIFA with a two-match suspension for displaying the 'Grey Wolf' symbol during his celebration after scoring the winning goal against Austria on July 3. This symbol is associated with a far-right nationalist organization known for its neo-fascist ideas and has ties to the Nationalist Movement Party, which is allied with the ruling Justice and Development Party led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In Germany, the 'Grey Wolves' are considered an extremist racist and anti-Semitic group, and their activities are banned. On Saturday, July 6, the Berlin police wrote on social media that during the march of Turkish fans, many displayed the Grey Wolf symbol. Consequently, the police stopped the march and asked them not to display this symbol, stating that football fan marches are not a place for political expressions. The match between Turkey and the Netherlands is scheduled for 9 PM local time on Saturday amidst political and diplomatic tensions following the display of the Grey Wolf symbol. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will watch the match at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, and his visit may end the diplomatic tensions between Germany and Turkey over this incident. The German Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador in Berlin on July 14 in response to implicit support from some Turkish officials for the national team's defender. The German Interior Minister stated that while the 'Grey Wolf' symbol is not banned in Germany, the group is under surveillance. He condemned the Turkish footballer's actions, asserting that far-right symbols have no place in German stadiums. In response to the German Interior Minister's remarks, the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the German ambassador in Ankara, stating that banning widely recognized symbols is unacceptable as they are common in many countries. Millions of Turkish citizens or individuals of Turkish descent live in Germany, and there have been instances of illegal and violent actions by the extremist 'Grey Wolves' in Germany in recent decades. Since the establishment of the 'Grey Wolves' in the 1960s, the group has been involved in political violence between leftists and nationalists, particularly during the late 1970s coup that resulted in approximately 5,000 deaths. The youth wing of this group has deep ties with the Nationalist Movement Party and is considered a military branch of this party. The group has been declared illegal in France, and its symbol is banned in Austria.