Konya supporters jeer moment of silence for Ankara Massacre victims

KONYA

Supporters in the Central Anatolian province of Konya refused to observe a moment of silence for the victims of the Oct. 10 Ankara Massacre ahead of a critical Euro 2016 qualifier between Turkey and Iceland, while the city’s main football fan group said the jeers were against a small group of protesters.

The Turkish national team, along with the Icelandic team, stood in silence for one minute to protest the massacre, which killed at least 97 people, before the Euro 2016 qualification match at the Konya Arena. 

The moment of silence was marred by whistles and jeers, which Nalçacılar, the supporter group of the city’s top-flight team Konyaspor, said were “misunderstood.”

“While there was a general silence in the stands during the remembrance, the jeers made against a tiny group of protesters have been depicted as if there was a total protest,” the group said in a statement.

Turkey won the match 1-0 to qualify for Euro 2016 as the best third-place team in all the qualifying sections.