Germans continue to demonstrate against right-wing extremism and the nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the country’s biggest wave of protests for years. On Saturday, as Borussia Dortmund played FC Köln, 30,000 people were demonstrating in Köln with protesters looking to curb support for the AfD, per Reuters.
Speaking to media on Friday, Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Terzić called for people to show their colours on the issue.
“When I started as a coach, I actually resolved not to comment on political matters. However, we must show all our colours on this issue. If you know me and my background, if you know our dressing room, if you see our pool of employees – how many people with a migration background and from overseas we have here, who have not only fallen in love with our club and our city and with whom the people here have fallen in love – it is extremely important we all make a clear stance on this issue.
“My name is Edin Terzić, I was born in Germany, but I’m always asked where my parents come from. In Croatia and Bosnia, I am the German; here I am the foreigner. At some stage, I decided for myself: my nationality is football. I’m delighted to be involved in football and I’ve met so many great people.
“Dortmund has set a great example as a city and I believe that we in the sporting world – whether players or coaches – should use this media presence to encourage everyone to clearly show their colors, and they are all colors.”
More than 100,000 turned out across Germany on Saturday after AfD members reportedly attended meetings with neo-nazis to discuss the deportation of migrants and others that have “deemed to have failed to integrate.”
GGFN | Daniel Pinder
