Germany’s police union (GdP) on Saturday urged fans to avoid displaying the controversial gray wolf gesture during an upcoming against the Netherlands.
It comes after , while celebrating his team’s Tuesday victory over Austria.
What did German police say about the gray wolf sign?
“Politics has no place on the football field,” GdP chief Jochen Kopelke said while speaking in the .
He warned against the use of symbolism.
Kopelke said it was important to examine what conditions would allow for a full ban of the gray wolf sign.
“This is a high-risk game,” he said, adding that officers will be presented with “exceptional law enforcement challenges.”
“We are committed to a fair and peaceful match,” Kopelke stressed.
Before the start of the match, Turkish football ultras called for fans to use the gesture.
The match between Turkey and the Netherlands is at 9 p.m. local time (1900 UTC/GMT) on Saturday.
What is the controversy around Demiral’s ‘wolf’ gesture?
On Friday, European football’s as well as a potential semi-final against England or Switzerland if Turkey wins.
UEFA said Demiral had failed “to comply with the general principles of conduct” and had brought football “into disrepute.”
and that there was no hidden message behind the gesture. Several German politicians condemned his actions, in statements that .
, which has engaged in attacks on leftists, as well as on Kurds, Armenians, Greeks and other ethnic minority groups.
The group has been banned in Austria and France and was labeled a terrorist organization by the European Parliament in 2021. Germany has not banned the group.
si/rc (SID, epd, dpa)
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