Detentions and criminal investigations around Euro match in Berlin

Turkish fans set off pyrotechnics during the UEFA Euro 2024 soccer match between Netherlands and Turkey at the Berlin Olympic Stadium. Michael Kappeler/dpa

German police detained 54 people and launched 64 criminal investigations around Saturday's Euro 2024 quarter-final between Turkey and the Netherlands.

Police said on Sunday the probes are on suspicion of simple and grievous bodily harm, trespassing, insulting others, fraud and offences against narcotics laws.

Two officers were injured and 3,200 overall on duty around the high-risk match in the Olympic Stadium which the Dutch won 2-1.

A fan march of around 8,000 Turkey supporters was stopped by police after the controversial wolf salute gesture was repeatedly shown.

The wolf salute is attributed, among other things, to a far-right extremist movement. The movement known as “Ülkücü” or “grey wolves” are linked to political allies of Erdogan, the ultra-nationalist MHP in Turkey.

A Dutch fan march of 19,000 took place without incidents but police said that fans from both camps briefly clashed at the Berlin fan fest. The groups were separated whereupon the situation calmed down immediately.

Turkey fans react after the UEFA Euro 2024 soccer match between Netherlands and Turkey at the Berlin Olympic Stadium. Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa
Turkey's Baris Yilmaz (R) and the Netherlands' Virgil Van Dijk in a header duel during the UEFA Euro 2024 soccer match between Netherlands and Turkey at the Berlin Olympic Stadium. Michael Kappeler/dpa
Fans of the Dutch national team take part in the fan walk to the UEFA Euro 2024 soccer match between Netherlands and Turkey at Berlin Olympic Stadium. Fabian Sommer/dpa

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