Did Turkey football fans boo minute's silence for Paris victims?

Many have defended the chants, saying in Turkey, a minute silence is used to chant for terrorist attack victims

ISTANBUL: A friendly football match between Turkey and Greece has left many on social media kicking up as fuss as a video emerged of Turkish fans chanting slogans during a minute's silence for the victims of the Paris attacks.



Many on social media have interpreted the jeering as a sign of disrespect to the Paris attack victims, while some Turkish commentators have claimed the boos were targeted towards the hypocrisy of the Western world, not towards the Paris attack victims. Others have claimed that it’s simply just the Turkish way.

It was the first time Turkey and Greece had met in eight years. The Turkish Football Federation announced heavy security measures at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium stadium in Istanbul, with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras among the attendees at the sold-out stadium of 17,000.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (L) and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu watch the international friendly soccer match between Turkey and Greece in Istanbul. PHOTO: REUTERS

A little into the minute’s silence – one that has been observed at various stadiums across Europe this week for the Paris victims -- Turkish fans began to chant slogans, one of which has now been translated by many on social media as, “Martyrs never die, the nation won't be divided”

Turkish football fans regularly shout nationalist slogans at matches and it was not clear if the behaviour was more aimed against historic rivals Greece than condoning the Paris attacks in any way.

But Turkey manager Fatih Terim was not having any of it.

"We are keeping the minute's silence for the victims [of Paris attack]. Can you not just be patient for a minute?" he said after Turkey drew 0-0 with Greece in a friendly match in Istanbul.



"It is not child's play. It is significant. The terror threat is depressing and thought-provoking," he added.

"Sport is one of the most significant instruments that can be used for peace and brotherhood," Terim said.

Terim has also criticised some fans' booing the national anthem of Greece. "Booing the anthem, where's that coming from?" Terim said. "We are better than this. If this would have been done to us, we would be really upset."



So, what exactly happened?

According to some Turkish commentators the chant is commonly repeated in remembrance of Turkish soldiers who fell victim to terrorism. Some media outlets also reported chants of "Allahu Akbar" being heard but no concrete evidence has surfaced to support this claim.

This isn’t the first time Turkish fans have interrupted a minute's silence with the last incident being reported when they played against Iceland on October 13. Just two days after more than 100 people died in the Turkish capital when two bombs went off outside the Ankara Central railway station.

Some Turkish social media users also pointed out how international teams did not hold a minute's silence after the Ankara terror attack, saying football fans wanted to protest against the ‘hypocrisy’ of the Western world.

Others in the Middle East have also questioned the disproportionate responses to terrorist attacks in Europe when compared to those that occur on their continent.

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (front row, 2nd L) and his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras (front row, 2nd R) pose with members of the Turkish national soccer team. PHOTO: REUTERS

Syrian soccer coach Fajr Ibrahim, who also participated in a 30-second moment of silence for the victims of the Paris attacks before his team’s 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Singapore on Tuesday, is among those who questioned why the victims of the Paris attacks were being recognised at the game in Singapore while those who have been killed in Syria by terrorists were not.

“We stand now 30 seconds for French, but all Syrian people killed, no one stand one second, you have to know this,” Ibrahim told AFP on Tuesday.

A Masters student at Anadolu University, Mustafa Özsarı put forward another explanation for the noises heard during the minute's silence.

"Let it be clear: In Turkey (especially at football matches) a one minute silence is always used to chant for those who died in terrorist attacks.

And what they are chanting is this “Şehitler ölmez, vatan bölünmez”. Translation: “Martyrs, they do not die (they are immortal), homeland (land, our land) is indivisible,” Özsarı said.

Further, he added "they booed the terrorist, not the victims. Any victims of terrorism are accepted as martyrs in Turkish culture. There is no disrespect to them, there has not been, there will not be."

The student demanded a correction from publications that carried this news.

However, the real reason behind the chants remains unconfirmed, as an official statement regarding the issue is yet to be issued.



Earlier, a video widely shared on social media showing "Muslims in London celebrating the terror attacks on Paris" has proven to be fake. The footage, titled Muslims Around The World Celebrate The Islamic Victory In Paris France, claimed to show a large group of Muslim men cheering and waving Pakistani flags outside Tooting Broadway station in south London.

However, it later came in to light that the video actually showed British Pakistanis celebrating a cricket victory in 2009.