ALBAWABA - Many people in Turkey are now posing for pictures while doing the "wolf salute" hand gesture.
Photos of doctors, athletes, and normal workers posing with "wolf salute" increased following the UEFA's decision to suspend Turkey player Merih Demiral for two games after he made the hand gesture after scoring a goal.
The Turkish football player, who plays as a defender in the Turkish national team, made the move in the round of 16 Euro 2024 win against Austria.
CNN reported that Demiral scored twice in Turkey’s 2-1 win and then he celebrated by making the gesture, which is associated with the Turkish right-wing extremist group "Grey Wolves."
What's a "wolf salute"?
The wolf salute, the grey wolf salute or the grey wolf gesture (Turkish: Bozkurt işareti) is a hand symbol used to symbolize Pan-Turkism and Turkish nationalism. It is often a topic of controversy and the hand gesture is banned in France and Austria.
Who are the Gray Wolves?
The Grey Wolves are an international Turkish ultranationalist paramilitary and pan-Turkic organisation that became well known in the late 1970s, according to the Counter Extremism website.
In recent times, not a large number of Turks are still using the term "Grey Wolves" instead they say "Ulku Ocaklari," which means Idealist Hearths. Alparslan Turkes was the first to found the "Ulku Ocaklari" after Turkey's military coup in 1960.
From 1976 to 1980, over 500 people died in the Turkish conflict between left-wing groups and nationalists, including the Grey Wolves, sources added.
