A group of Kurdish supporters of the Western Sydney Wanderers haled a banner at the team’s winning January 1 match against Macarthur Football Club to show solidarity with Kurdish soccer players who are facing racist violence in Turkey.
“Kurdish soccer teams from the Kurdish majority in south–east Turkey have been violently attacked by ultra-nationalist Turks in matches in the west of the country,” Ismet Tastan told Green Left.
Tastan is a member of the Ciwanên Welat Parez group which has been organising solidarity protests against racist attacks against Kurdish teams, such as Amedspor.
“There was a violent attack on December 19 against members of the Amedspor team from Diyarbakir, when they played against the Turkish Bursaspor team when it was defeated 2–0 on its home ground,” Tastan said.
“Video footage that has gone viral on social media shows Bursaspor members attacking Amedspor players after the final whistle.
“There was another violent attack in a game in Anatolia on January 3, when ultra-nationationalist Turks from the Yozgatspor team attacked Kurdish players from the Bingolspor.
“This is the type of violent racism Kurds experience in everyday life in Turkey, where they are attacking our culture, our language, our elected representatives and even our sports teams. Most of this racist violence is not reported by the media but when it happens on the soccer field in a big game, then the whole world can see.
“We ask the world to condemn this racism, which is being carried out by supporters of the fascist Grey Wolves that use some teams to spread their hate.”