Following the Turkish national team's loss to the Netherlands in the European Championship quarter-finals, supporters of the "Grey Wolves" caused disturbances in London and Berlin.
In London, Turkish hooligans targeted the Kurdish Community Centre in the Haringey district. They marched in front of the centre, displaying the wolf salute and shouting racist slogans. Some waved Turkish flags and a flag with three crescent moons, a symbol linked to right-wing extremist Turks and reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire's war flag.
The London police responded with a large presence, forming a protective circle around Kurdish activists holding a sit-in outside the centre. Despite attempts by the Grey Wolves to breach the police barrier and disrupt the sit-in, the situation was contained. A video shared online showed several hooligans attacking police officers, leading to at least two arrests.
In Berlin, the situation escalated further after the match. Turkish fans clashed with Dutch supporters on the fan mile during the game, throwing objects and engaging in physical confrontations. Private security forces had to intervene. The trouble began after the Netherlands scored the decisive goal, securing a 2-1 victory in the 76th minute. Police arrived after the final whistle but initially provided no information on the clashes.
The Berlin police had previously broken up a fan march due to "continued political messages" displayed by Turkish fans, many of whom were showing the grey wolf salute. Thousands of Turkish supporters repeated the salute during the national anthem at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, accompanied by his wife Emine, attended the game at the Olympic Stadium. He arrived in the capital shortly before kick-off and departed immediately after the match.
The "Grey Wolves" are supporters of the fascist “Ülkücü movement” (“Idealists”), linked to the ultranationalist MHP, which is an ally of Erdoğan’s Islamist AKP. Their symbol, the wolf salute, signifies Turkish supremacy. Their ideology targets various groups, including Kurds, Armenians, Greeks, Alevis, Christians, Jews, homosexuals, leftists, and feminists. Turkish national player Merih Demiral caused a scandal by showing the wolf salute during the round of 16 against Austria, leading to his suspension for two matches. Photo by Dickelbers, Wikimedia commons.