Riots after Dutch victory, wolf salute leads to ‘a lot of hassle’

Serious riots broke out in Eindhoven on Saturday night. This happened in the Woensel district around the match Turkey-Netherlands at the European Football Championship in Berlin. There was also unrest in the centre of Den Bosch and people started fighting each other. The police had to intervene in both cities.

“In Eindhoven there were multiple confrontations between two groups before, during and following the match,” a police spokeswoman said Sunday morning. “Syrian flags were confiscated.”

Syrian flags
An 18-year-old man from Eindhoven and a 25-year-old man from Valkenswaard were arrested for insults. A motorist had to surrender his driver’s license because of unsafe and aggressive driving. “Furthermore, furniture and bottles etc. were thrown on and around the Woenselse Markt.”

The police had to carry out several charges.

In Den Bosch, hundreds of people had gathered around the Dragon Fountain near the Central Station. Shortly following the Dutch national team reached the semi-finals of the European Football Championship at the expense of Turkey, things were still going well. However, the atmosphere gradually changed.

Wolf greeting
People who had come to the intersection of Koninginnenlaan and Stationsweg challenged each other. According to bystanders, ‘the whole fuss started’ following Turkish fans made the controversial wolf salute. This gesture is closely linked to Turkish nationalism and is often associated with the Grey Wolves, a Turkish ultra-nationalist organisation.

Turkish defender Merih Demiral was suspended for two matches by the European Football Association UEFA during the European Championship following his ‘wolf salute’ during Turkey’s 2-1 win over Austria in the round of 16 of the European Championship. He was therefore unable to play once morest the Dutch national team on Saturday evening.

Kurds
For many angry fans of Turkey, this was apparently reason to do the wolf salute themselves. That was once morest the grain of many Kurds who were also on the streets. They got into a fight with each other and the police. According to a 112 correspondent, dozens of police officers were deployed to maintain order, including with batons and police dogs. Kurds and Turks reportedly came to blows with each other.

The police had to stand in a short line to keep the groups apart. According to the police spokeswoman, this was not so bad compared to the situation in Eindhoven.

Cosy
The atmosphere in Den Bosch was still friendly right following the match. There was a lot of honking by motorists, especially people wearing an orange shirt and carrying the Dutch flag.