Fans of the Turkish football team Besiktas called on the Turkish government to resign three weeks after the devastating earthquake in southeastern Turkey.

“Government, go away” was chanted by thousands of Besiktas fans in Istanbul at the Inonou Stadium tonight during a league match against Antalyaspor.

Besiktas fans, who are known to be politically closer in general to Kemal’s opposition rather than Erdogan’s AKP, also threw soft toys onto the pitch in honor of the children/victims of the 6 February earthquake.

On Saturday, Fenerbahce fans chanted during the game against Konyaspor: “Lie, deceit, 20 years have passed, resign.”

After the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, the Turkish government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in power for 20 years, has been sharply criticized.

With only a few months left before the presidential and parliamentary elections, the popularity of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, already undermined by the economic crisis, has received another blow.

In an attempt to silence critics, Ankara temporarily blocked access to Twitter on February 8.

Turkey’s Radio and Television High Council (RTUK) also imposed sanctions on three TV channels that were critical of the government.

“While our country is fighting the biggest disaster of the century, chanting resignation during the Fenerbahce-Konyaspor match is irresponsible and absurd,” said Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) and a partner of Erdogan and the ruling AKP. .

Bahçeli even urged the clubs to “immediately take the necessary measures” so that games can be played without fans.

Source: APE-MPE, AFP.