Following Amedspor’s 2-1 underdog victory against Turkish football giants Trabzonspor, an individual recorded on the Trabzonspor supporter bus doing hate speech against Kurdish fans was detained yesterday.
In a video that drew immense backlash on social media, the man said: "The best of the Kurds is the one who dies and enters the grave. They gather and speak Kurdish; you will not let them speak. You will not pity them; you will kick them."
Following the spread of the video, the Amedspor Jurists Association filed a criminal complaint. Additionally, members of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Islamist-Kurdish Free Cause Party (HÜDA PAR) released statements calling for an investigation.
"A racist mindset that spews enough hate to say 'The best Kurd is a dead Kurd!' is a very serious threat both for our creed, the survival of our state and our social peace,” said former AKP MP and President of the Democracy and Unity Association/Foundation Mehmet Metiner. “This is simply a heavy crime."
Amedspor is not just a football team
HÜDA PAR Deputy Faruk Dinç echoed the same sentiment.
"Legal proceedings must be initiated immediately regarding this insolent person who uttered unmentionable insults against the Kurdish people, and the sycophants around him,” said Dinç. “Every second this low-life is not punished will shake society's trust in justice."
A second post by Mitner confirmed that by order of Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek the individual in the video had been detained.
According to other reports, people emerging from fan buses also carried out attacks on citizens in Diyarbakır’s Ergani district and large-scale property damage was done in the Amedspor stadium.
Racism against Amedspor
Due to Amedspor’s reputation as an openly pro-Kurdish team, the team and its fans have become a frequent target of debate and racist attacks — this discourse has only grown following Amedspor’s historic promotion this year to Turkey’s highest league, the Süper Lig.
Kurdish club Amedspor promoted to Süper Lig
Earlier this season five Kocaelispor supporters were placed under house arrest after raising yellow plastic bags meant to symbolize bodybags towards Amedspor players and supporters. This provocation, in reference to dead Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members, is often used as a threat towards Kurdish politicians, journalists and citizens.
5 Kocaelispor fans put under house arrest after anti-Kurd threats
Additionally, Amedspor has been fined by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) over instances such as featuring Kurdish-language sponsorships on their uniforms and posting hair braiding on social media, a form of online protest in support of Kurdish women fighters in Syria.
(FY/İK)
