German football fans show support to refugees and asylum seekers

Friday 30 Aug 2013
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Football fans of various clubs across Germany have demonstrated their support for the newly opened refugee centre in Berlin.

Werder Bremen, Fortuna Düsseldorf, St. Pauli, Goslar SC and Roter Stern Leipzig fans all displayed positive messages for the centre and the refugees.

Fans produced banners reading ‘welcome refugees’ and organised choreographies.  Also, a growing number of fan groups have been expressing their solidarity and support to 80 political asylum seekers, the first of 200 expected at the centre.

The refugees, mostly from war-torn Afghanistan and Syria, as well as Serbia, arrived at the new shelter in the eastern Berlin suburb of Hellersdorf on Monday 19 August under heavy police protection.

They were greeted with a hostile environment, and signs which read ‘No to the home’ and ’Have a nice flight home’.

Right-wing protests were recurrent in the German capital last week and there were reports of a number of confrontations with supporters of the centre that had come out in support of asylum seekers.

“It is shocking to see how right-wing activists are trying to sow fear,” said Berlin’s Mayor Klaus Wowereit condemning the anti-immigrant demonstrations.

“Berlin is a city that is open to the world, and that’s why we must be vigilant against xenophobia”, he added.

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