IstanbulThe minute 4.17 arrives, the time when the first earthquake occurred, and thousands of stuffed animals fall on the pitch in memory of the thousands of children affected by the earthquake. The duel between Besiktas and Antalyaspor is stopped. The stadium stands, applause and many tears as it plays Another is My Hometown [La meva ciutat natal], a patriotic song that can be played both in an official event and in a protest in the streets. Everything happens at the Vodafone Arena, Besiktas’ stadium. An atypical and sad match, with a poor result (0-0) and little thought directed to what was happening on the pitch: it was the first football match after an earthquake in which, according to the government, more than 45,000 people have died. But before the players took to the pitch, with the stands almost full, a unison cry: “Government resign” [govern dimissió].
the football stadiums, a ticking time bomb against the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan
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