Tear gas & water cannon used against Besiktas soccer fans in Turkey
Istanbul police have used tear gas and a water cannon against Besiktas Football Club fans before the opening match at the team’s new stadium, where they are playing Bursaspor in the Turkish Super Lig.
Vodafone Arena çevresinde şu an. pic.twitter.com/Z1GcJQoIGt
— Tribun Dergi (@tribundergi) April 11, 2016
Bursaspor coach Hamza Hamzaoğlu has reportedly sent his players to the locker room due to gas exposure.
As the smell of pepper gas reaches inside, fans chant the legendary slogan: Take off your helmets, drop your batons https://t.co/AJO7Gkw9RL
— NOT MY... (@meralink) April 11, 2016
SIK BAKALIM SIK BAKALIM BİBER GAZI SIK BAKALIM pic.twitter.com/GTR5vR6RDu
— Hakan Çelik (@darkofarko) April 11, 2016
The stadium’s inauguration ceremony was held the day before the match, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attending the closed event which had no fans present in the stands. Many of Besiktas fans groups are known to be fiercely hostile to the Turkish leader.
Üç pare gaz atışıyla Beşiktaş'ın stadı resmen açıldı. Büyük taraftara hayırlı olsun :) #ÇarşıYavşAKlaraKarşıpic.twitter.com/hyA4akdBmK
— Meinhoff (@ulrike_meinhoff) April 11, 2016
The fans not being invited to the event is believed to be a possible cause of the tensions between the fans and local police that led to the unrest.
