The Netherlands knocked out Turkey in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Euros, currently held in Germany, following a 2-1 win on Saturday. The result was widely celebrated by supporters of the Dutch team and those critical of Ankara’s policies in Syria and the Kurdistan Region.
“In a remarkable development, the Turkish intelligence service has arrested four people for celebrating the Dutch national team’s victory… during a raid on a cafe in the center of the city of Afrin,” reported the Manbij-based Center for Documenting Violations in Northern Syrian.
The monitor added that two others were also arrested for comments they made on Facebook expressing their joy for Turkey’s loss.
Hundreds of protesters demonstrated throughout rebel-held north and northwest Syria last week following the recent attacks on Syrian homes and businesses in Turkey’s central Kayseri province, where a Syrian man was accused of sexually harassing a child.
People in the towns and cities of al-Bab, al-Rai, Azaz, and Afrin flooded the streets, blocked the roads, and attacked Turkish institutions in response.
At least seven protesters were killed by Turkish forces in Afrin and one in Jarabulus, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Through the conflict in Syria, Turkey has supported rebel forces, including those with links to Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups. Turkey has also launched repeated incursions into Syrian territory, most notably against Kurds in Afrin in 2018.
The Turkish team has been the subject of several controversies throughout the tournament.
European football’s governing body on Friday suspended Turkish defender Merih Demiral for two games, after celebrating a goal with the “wolf salute,” a gesture associated with the Grey Wolves, a far-right extremist group closely linked to Turkey’s ruling coalition party, the Nationalist Movement Party.
Thousands of Turkish supporters could be seen making the same gesture in the stands and on their way to the match against the Netherlands.
Violent clashes have broken out between Turkish supporters and fans of opposing teams following Turkey’s match with the Netherlands on Saturday and before the match with Georgia in mid-June. An unidentified object, which appeared to have been thrown by supporters of Turkey, struck an Austrian player in the head during their match last week.
