As impunity continues, Bursaspor fans eagerly add new insults to Kurdish citizens. In the past, Beşiktaş fans regularly clashed with Bursa fans, as their aggressive attitudes were not limited to Kurdish citizens. But their racist nationalism has a particular hate against Kurds. Here are some of the major incidents I collected with Perplexity’s help:
December 16, 2025: Leyla Zana Hate Speech (Somaspor Match)
During the TFF 2nd League match between Somaspor and Bursaspor in Soma, Manisa, a group of Bursaspor supporters engaged in sustained racist and sexist chants targeting Leyla Zana, a prominent Kurdish politician and former member of parliament.agos+3
Details of the Incident:
Target: Leyla Zana, former DEP and HDP Member of Parliament, renowned for her advocacy of Kurdish rights
Nature of Chants: Sexist and racist profanity directed at Zana, described by witnesses as lasting several minutes during the 85th minute of the matchyoutubeagos
Context: No connection between Zana and the match itself; the chants were unprovoked hate speech
Documentation: Video evidence widely circulated on social media, sparking national outragebianet+2
Institutional and Political Responses:
The incident drew condemnation across the political spectrum, though responses varied significantly in tone and substance:
Government Officials:
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç: Confirmed administrative and judicial investigations were underway, including “band analyses” to identify perpetratorsdw+1
Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak: Stated investigations would proceed under Law 6222 (Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports), with potential penalties including lifetime match bans. Described the chants as unacceptable and contrary to “the ethical spirit of sports”mezopotamyaajansi35+1
AKP MPs: Mixed responses—some condemned the chants while others defended Bursa broadly. Galip Ensarioğlu (Diyarbakır) strongly condemned the incident, calling it harmful to the peace process. Özlem Zengin called for finding those responsible while cautioning against condemning all Bursa residentsserbestiyet+1
Opposition and Kurdish Political Parties:
DEM Party: Issued forceful condemnations, with TBMM Vice President Pervin Buldan stating: “With curses and insults, neither football nor values are defended. We reject this language toward Leyla Zana. Sports should produce respect, not hostility. Human dignity comes before everything”kurdistan24+1
DEM Party MP Serhat Eren: Characterized the chants as “open hate crime directed at the Kurdish people,” questioning why the TFF failed to enforce disciplinary measures and why the Justice and Interior Ministries remained silentmalatyasoz+2
CHP MPs: Multiple members condemned the incident, with Sezgin Tanrıkulu emphasizing that Zana remains “a source of pride for her people”kurdistan24
Bursaspor Leadership:
Club President Enes Çelik: Issued a controversial statement describing the hate speech as a “short and non-repeating chant,” attributing criticism to “hidden agendas” and “specific circles.” Announced legal action against critics for “racist, insulting, and hate-filled” posts targeting Bursasporhaberturk+2
Faruk Çelik (AKP MP, former minister, father of Enes Çelik): Broke with his son’s defensive stance, condemning the chants as “wrong and unacceptable,” stating “this is not a situation that can be tolerated”halktv+1
Fan Organizations:
Teksas (Major Bursaspor Supporter Group): Issued an urgent warning before the next home match: “All efforts are in danger of being destroyed due to a single curse uttered in tomorrow’s match… Every curse is a bullet fired at Bursaspor… respect for effort, loyalty to the badge: no to cursing!” The statement acknowledged the club faced a “critical threshold” with potentially “irreversible” consequencesx+2
Legal Status:
Investigation opened under Law 6222 by both the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Turkish Football Federationserbestiyet+1
Potential criminal charges under the Turkish Penal Code for “inciting public to hatred and hostility”malatyasoz
As of December 2025, no TFF PFDK (Professional Football Disciplinary Board) penalties had been announced specifically for this incidenttff
December 2025: Additional Leyla Zana Incidents
Similar hate speech targeting Leyla Zana was reported during matches involving:
Ankaragücü: Fans chanted similar slurs, discussed in parliamentary sessions alongside the Somaspor incidentyoutube+1
Rizespor: After the Bursaspor incidents gained national attention, Rizespor supporters were also reported engaging in comparable hate speech against Zanafacebook+1
These incidents suggest a contagion effect, with the initial Bursaspor chants potentially emboldening supporters of other clubs.malatyasoz
March 3-5, 2023: Systematic Racist Attack on Amedspor
The most severe and comprehensively documented incident involved a multi-day campaign of racist violence against Amedspor, the Kurdish football club from Diyarbakır, during their away match in Bursa.bianet+3
Timeline of Events:
March 4, 2023 (Evening Before Match):
Bursaspor supporters attacked the hotel where Amedspor players and staff were staying
Fireworks shot at the building; chants of “Ne mutlu Türküm diyene” (“How happy is the one who says ‘I am a Turk'”)—a nationalist slogan historically weaponized against Kurdsnlka
Groups roamed the city with police blessing, searching for Kurdish fans to attacknlka
March 5, 2023 (Match Day):
Pre-Match Violence:
As Amedspor players attempted warm-ups, Bursaspor fans rained down fireworks, knives, bullets, rocks, batteries, and water bottles onto the pitchbianet+2
Bursaspor players physically attacked Amedspor players on the field before the match beganyoutubebianet
Both teams retreated to dressing rooms; objects continued to be thrown as Amedspor re-enteredbianet
During Match:
Tribunes displayed banners celebrating state-sponsored violence against Kurds:
“Beyaz Toros” (White Toros car): Symbol of 1990s forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Kurdish regionsbbc+2
“Yeşil” (Mahmut Yıldırım): Notorious assassin for JİTEM (Turkish intelligence death squads) responsible for thousands of Kurdish civilian deathseuronews+2
Cem Ersever: JİTEM commander who was going to confess to crimes before his assassinationnlka
Continuous projectile throwing throughout the match, with Amedspor goalkeeper Cantuğ Temel struck hard enough to collapsebbc+1
Grey Wolf hand gestures (neo-fascist symbol) displayed throughout stadiumnlka
Racist chants against Kurds maintained for 90 minutesbianet+1
Post-Match:
Amedspor reported that “Bursaspor private security supervisor, club security officer, club staff, and police officers” attacked their players in dressing room corridorsbbc+1
The convergence of mob violence with official security apparatus underscored systemic nature of the attacknlka
Injuries and Damage:
Multiple Amedspor players injured
Goalkeeper Cantuğ Temel (ethnically Turkish) hospitalized after being struckbbc
Psychological trauma reported by players who stated they could not conduct warm-ups and questioned whether they were “supposed to die for the match to be halted”nlka
Legal and Institutional Responses:
Criminal Proceedings:
Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu announced investigation into the banner displaysbbc
9 people initially detained, later releasedbbc
Criminal complaint filed by Diyarbakır Bar Association citing crimes of “inciting or humiliating the public to hatred and hostility, intentionally endangering general security, and insulting abuse of office”diyarbakirbarosu+1
As of December 2023, only 2 individuals (A.T. and K.Ç.) faced trial in Bursa 3rd Criminal Court on assault chargesbianet+2
No prosecutions for banner displays celebrating state violencehaber.sol
TFF Penalties:
Initial PFDK Decision: 9 matches without spectators + 326,000 TL finenumedya24+1
8 matches: Field incidents and violations of regulations
1 match: Failure to keep stadium stairwells clear
After Appeal (Tahkim Kurulu): Reduced to 7 matches without spectatorsbbc
Bursaspor publicly contested the penalty, posting videos of alleged Amedspor fan misconduct in the first match of the season in Diyarbakırbbc
Political Reactions:
MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli: Controversially praised Bursaspor fans for their “national stance,” stating “Amed does not exist”—a denial of Kurdish identitybianet+1
DEM Party (then HDP) MP Ayşe Sürücü: Responded: “Amed exists, it will continue to exist. Amedspor exists, it will continue to exist. Amedspor will continue to score goals. What will not exist, what is doomed to leave in this election, is you with your racist speeches and aggressive attitudes”bbc
Multiple bar associations, civil society organizations, and international observers condemned the attacksbianet+2
Bursaspor’s Defense:
A Bursaspor official told BBC Türkçe that the “Beyaz Toros” and “Yeşil” banners were “smuggled in secretly” without passing through inspection, claiming the club did not support such displays. However, the organized nature and scale of the violence suggested broader complicity.bbc
September 2022: Earlier Bursaspor-Amedspor Violence
When Amedspor hosted Bursaspor in Diyarbakır:
Bursaspor arrived and departed in armored vehicles due to security concerns
Amedspor fans threw stones at Bursaspor players during warm-ups
Some home supporters invaded the pitch
A knife was thrown at the Bursaspor goalkeeper
Kurdistan flags displayed in stands
Police attacked by home fans outside stadiumwikipedia
This incident demonstrates that violence has occurred from both fan bases, though the nature, scale, and state complicity differ significantly from the March 2023 Bursa attacks.
Broader Context: Anti-Kurdish Racism in Turkish Football
The Bursaspor incidents are part of a systematic pattern of anti-Kurdish discrimination in Turkish football, particularly targeting Amedspor and Kurdish players.
Timeline of Anti-Kurdish Incidents
November 2014: Deniz Naki Attack (Not Bursaspor-related)
Kurdish-Alevi footballer Deniz Naki (then with Gençlerbirliği in Ankara) attacked by three men on the street
Assailants called him “dirty Kurd,” cursed him for being Alevi and Kurdish, referenced his social media support for Kobane
Naki suffered facial and hand injuries; paid money to escape further violence
Left Turkey permanently for Germany; contract mutually terminated
Stated: “I could not go out alone in Ankara. I was worried about my teammates. There was just no reason for me to stay here anymore”wikipedia+4
February 2016: “Children Should Not Die” Banner Incident
During peak violence in Kurdish regions, Amedspor players held banner reading “Children Should Not Die, They Should Come to The Match”
Accused of “making terrorist propaganda”; received series of penaltiesbbc
This banner, calling for children’s safety, was criminalized while banners celebrating assassins (March 2023) initially went unpunishedbbc
April 24, 2016: Attack on Amedspor Officials (Not Bursaspor-related)
After Ankaragücü-Amedspor match in Ankara (2-1 Amedspor victory)
Five Amedspor executives attacked with iron bars in protocol stands
Attackers identified as Ankaragücü club officials
All five hospitalized; criminal complaint filedbianet+4
2016-2017: Deniz Naki Persecution
Now playing for Amedspor, Naki banned 12 games + 19,500 TL fine for social media post supporting Kurdish resistance in Surwikipedia+1
2017: Lifetime ban for “separatist and ideological propaganda”bbc+1
March 2, 2019: Mansur Çalar “Razor Blade” Controversy
Amedspor captain accused of slashing Sakaryaspor players with razor blade during match
Pro-government media called him “terrorist with razor blade”
Çalar’s defense: Marks from long guitar-playing fingernails, not razor; victim of “political campaign against Amedspor”
Initial penalty: Lifetime ban + 25,000 TL; reduced to 20-match suspensionbbc
Context: Çalar stated, “When we go to an away game, rival team supporters chant racist slogans against us. This is hard to take psychologically. Amedspor are under immense pressure”bbc
2017: 1922 Konyaspor Attack (Not Bursaspor-related)
After Amedspor’s away victory, players attacked by nationalist fansallfootballapp
October 2024: Deniz Undav Incident (Related Pattern)
During Fenerbahçe-Stuttgart Europa League match in Istanbul
Kurdish footballer Deniz Undav (Stuttgart) targeted by racist chants from Fenerbahçe fans
Physical altercation with Fenerbahçe’s İsmail Yüksek (originally from Bursa)
Massive social media hate campaign followed
German organizations (IAKR, MRK) issued statements condemning “systematic targeting” of Undavyoutubedw
2025: Kurdish Language Fine
Amedspor fined 220,000 TL (two separate 110,000 TL penalties) for displaying Kurdish-language sponsor slogan on jerseys: “Koma me bona we” (“Our group is for you”)
Club stated sponsorship design had been formally approved by TFF before season
Club president described ruling as “double standard” and “implicit ban on Kurdish language in sports,” noting Turkish equivalent appeared on other clubs’ jerseys without sanctionwikipedia
Common Racist Chants and Symbols
At Amedspor away matches, the following are commonly observed:
Grey Wolf hand gestures (neo-fascist symbol banned in France and Austria)nlka
Giant Turkish flags and nationalist displaysbbc
Chants: “Kurds out, terrorists out” and “This is Turkey, not Kurdistan”bbc
Equation of Kurdish identity with terrorismbbc
Socio-Political Context
Timing and Political Instrumentalization
The December 2025 Leyla Zana incidents occurred during:
Renewed “peace process” discussions between Turkish government and PKKthenewregion+1
Sensitive period of Kurdish-Turkish relationsserbestiyet
Multiple commentators noted the incidents appeared designed to sabotage peace efforts:
AKP MP Ensarioğlu: Hate speech “harms the ‘Terrorism-Free Turkey’ process… creates grounds that dark circles uncomfortable with the process can exploit”serbestiyet
DEM Party: Described incidents as “systematic” efforts by “peace process opponents”youtube
Amedspor President Nahit Eren: “We know for what purpose the curses directed at Leyla Zana were made”malatyasoz+1
Historical Memory and Trauma
The “Beyaz Toros” and “Yeşil” banners displayed in March 2023 evoke profound trauma:
1990s Kurdish Conflict: Period of forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, village destructions
JİTEM Death Squads: Thousands of unsolved murders of Kurdish civilians, intellectuals, politicians
Impunity: Perpetrators never held accountable; many cases remain officially “unsolved”nlka+1
The public celebration of these symbols in a football stadium represents not merely historical insensitivity but active glorification of violence against a specific ethnic group. Legal scholar and bar association complaints characterized these displays as crimes of inciting hatred and threatening general security.diyarbakirbarosu+1
Gender and Intersectional Dimensions
The targeting of Leyla Zana involves intersecting forms of hatred:
Ethnic/Racial: Anti-Kurdish racism
Gender: Sexist slurs specifically weaponized against a woman
Political: Targeting a peace advocate during peace process discussions
DEM Party Kadın Meclisi (Women’s Council) stated: “The hate speech we see in the tribunes is the expression of a male-dominated, racist, and fascist mentality”.rudaw+1
Multiple women’s organizations and female politicians emphasized that attacks on Zana constituted attacks on all women and the women’s movement.youtubebianet
Patterns and Systemic Analysis
Escalation Trajectory
Symbolic Violence (2015-2016): Flag bans, away match bans, criminalization of peaceful slogans
Physical Attacks (2016-2019): Assaults on players and officials at multiple venues
Organized Mass Violence (2023): Systematic, multi-day campaign with pre-match hotel attack, weaponized projectiles, celebration of state violence
Sustained Hate Speech (2025): Multiple incidents across different clubs targeting same individual
Impunity and Normalization
Cycle of Violence:
Incident occurs → Brief public outrage → Minimal penalties → Appeals reduce penalties → No criminal accountability → Normalized for next incident
Institutional Complicity:
Security forces present during March 2023 attacks failed to stop projectile throwing for 90 minutesnlka
Post-match attacks involved police officers alongside club securitynlka+1
“How did explosives and racist banners get into the stadium?” questioned by fans and media, suggesting security inspection failures were deliberatebianet
Media Amplification:
Pro-government media’s framing of Mansur Çalar as “terrorist with razor blade” exemplifies how Kurdish athletes are dehumanizedbbc
Social media hate campaigns against Deniz Undav demonstrated how online and offline violence reinforce each otherdw
Bursaspor Leadership Evolution
Initial Defensiveness (President Enes Çelik):
Described December 2025 hate speech as “short and non-repeating”
Attributed criticism to “hidden agendas”
Threatened legal action against criticsrudaw+2
Shift in Tone (Influenced by Criticism):
Father Faruk Çelik (AKP MP) publicly broke with son’s defense, condemning chantsserbestiyet+1
Teksas fan group issued urgent warning acknowledging “critical threshold”serbestiyet+1
Some Bursaspor officials (2023) stated banner displays were “smuggled in” and unwantedbbc
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