Cologne on lockdown as Erdogan wraps up ill-tempered visit to Germany

By David Sahl and Petra Wischgoll

 

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends the official inauguration of the Cologne Central Mosque in Cologne, Germany, September 29, 2018. Cem Oksuz/Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS

 

COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan wrapped up an ill-tempered visit to Germany on Saturday with a visit to Cologne, where a security lockdown kept supporters and protesters away from a ceremony to open the country's largest mosque.

 

Police snipers were stationed on rooftops and the area was cordoned off after the city authorities cancelled plans for up to 25,000 people to be allowed to gather outside the mosque, built by an Islamic religious organisation that has close ties to the Turkish state.

 

Germany had invited Erdogan for the three-day state visit in an attempt to mend ties hit by a crackdown on his opponents following a failed coup in 2016, hoping to secure the release of several of its citizens who remain in detention.

 

Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting Erdogan on Friday that "deep divisions" remain. On Saturday in Cologne, the Turkish leader sought to strike a conciliatory note.

 

"In a critical period, we have made a fruitful, successful visit to Germany," he told guests at the opening of the Central Mosque. "I stressed that we need to put aside our differences and focus on our common interests."

 

Yet he also called on Germany to crack down on Kurdish separatists, and complained that soccer star Mesut Ozil had been hounded out of the German national team after Germany's World Cup exit because of his Turkish roots.

"This racism has to end," said Erdogan.

 

At a banquet hosted by President Frank Walter Steinmeier on Friday night the Turkish leader, departing from his prepared remarks, accused Germany of harbouring terrorists, according to those present.

 

"Hate speech against Germany," ran the headline in Saturday's edition of best-selling daily Bild.

 

NEITHER BETTER NOR SIMPLER

 

Senior Merkel allies said the visit had been premature, and ruled out providing any fresh economic aid to Turkey, which has suffered a slump in its currency following the imposition of trade sanctions by Washington.

 

"The timing of this visit was wrong - it was far too early," Norbert Roettgen, chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee, told the Funke newspaper group. "The Turkish-German relationship is neither better nor simpler after this visit."

 

In Cologne, a major centre of the 3 million-strong Turkish community in Germany, a few hundred Erdogan supporters gathered behind security barriers waving flags and wearing scarves in Turkey's red-and-white national colours.

 

"It's a great honour for us," said supporter Ali Tas of Erdogan's visit.

 

Around 1,000 protesters - including emigres and German left-wing activists - gathered on the opposite bank of the River Rhine after being denied permission to march through the city centre.

 

"I don't like that the German government is in cahoots with a head of state who locks up people, imprisons journalists and (ethnically) cleanses his own country," said a German man who gave his name as Goetz.

 

Regional chief minister Armin Laschet did not attend the mosque opening, citing the importance of separating state and religion. Other local civic leaders complained that they were not invited to the event.

 

Erdogan and Laschet met earlier at Cologne airport. They were to have held talks at a stately home, but the venue was switched after its owners objected.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-09-30

He should have been arrested for war crimes.

Merkel and germany fully deserves any medling, criticism and interferences in it governing of its country by the likes of Tayyip Erdogan who comes in and tell the germans how to run their country as No good deeds goes unpunished, and with millions of muslims living in Germany now many of them still have the full alliances to the old country, Germany will have to endure many more tough times in the years ahead....

It is a slow but steady islamic invasion of Europe. Muslims should live in islamic countries only.

1 hour ago, Xonax said:

It is a slow but steady islamic invasion of Europe. Muslims should live in islamic countries only.

 

So glad i wont be there when its complete ,

Oh dear, is Erdogan learning that he is not universally loved? How sad ( for him ).

7 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

He should have been arrested for war crimes.

 

Not that I'm a fan, but are there any official charges?

Some Inflammatory supposition posts have been removed

"This racism has to end," said Erdogan.

 

Islam is not a race. Turkish is not a race. The only races I see here are the race to build more and bigger mosques in Germany and the race to pack them with Islamists.

Edited September 30, 20187 yr by MaxYakov

19 minutes ago, MaxYakov said:

"This racism has to end," said Erdogan.

 

Islam is not a race. Turkish is not a race. The only races I see here are the race to build more and bigger mosques in Germany and the race to pack them with Islamists.

 

actually, the term "racism" has been extended to cover any preference or dislike for the aspects or antics that could in majority be attributed to some stereotyped group, based on race, sexual preferences, social origins, religion, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism
I expect soon it will be racist to express preference or dislike for types of music or literature.

Edited September 30, 20187 yr by manarak

Try building a new cathedral in Turkey and see far that gets


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

9 hours ago, Xonax said:

It is a slow but steady islamic invasion of Europe. Muslims should live in islamic countries only.

So if I'll convert to Islam I should leave my country, e.g UK, I should leave UK and live where?????? 

Can you see how stupid your reply is?

9 hours ago, Xonax said:

It is a slow but steady islamic invasion of Europe. Muslims should live in islamic countries only.

 

 

8 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

So if I'll convert to Islam I should leave my country, e.g UK, I should leave UK and live where?????? 

Can you see how stupid your reply is?

 

Looks to me like the poster is stating his observation and  offering his opinion.

 

What do you find stupid about it?

Like the way he casually opens a huge mosque whilst there...as if Europe needs another one. Turdogan should be arrested for his misdeeds. Why do these Islamic fascists want to live with the infidel? Doesn't make sense...unless they want to colonize and destroy these countries from within and the fluffy left will help them do it.

Edited September 30, 20187 yr by Sir Dude

26 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

 

Looks to me like the poster is stating his observation and  offering his opinion.

 

What do you find stupid about it?

What has the fact that he's stating an opinion got to with whether or not it's intelligent or otherwise. Or does the fact of stating an opinion mean that it can't be criticized for lack of intelligence?

Anyway, you really can't see what's not so perceptive about asserting that "Muslims should only live in Muslim countries, anyway?"

5 hours ago, manarak said:

 

actually, the term "racism" has been extended to cover any preference or dislike for the aspects or antics that could in majority be attributed to some stereotyped group, based on race, sexual preferences, social origins, religion, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism
I expect soon it will be racist to express preference or dislike for types of music or literature.

 

"War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength." - George Orwell

 

 

17 hours ago, Xonax said:

It is a slow but steady islamic invasion of Europe. Muslims should live in islamic countries only.

Past quote from Erdogan:
"The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers..."

8 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

So if I'll convert to Islam I should leave my country, e.g UK, I should leave UK and live where?????? 

Can you see how stupid your reply is?

You should emigrate to any muslim country that will have you. Sounds logical to me.

Another rightwing nutjob who shouldn't be running anything more than a kebab cart, much less a nation. 

A large swath of the globe clearly never got taught 20th century history. 

Fine, they'll get to re-live it in grim reality soon enough. 

15 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

So if I'll convert to Islam I should leave my country, e.g UK, I should leave UK and live where?????? 

Can you see how stupid your reply is?

yes go to a nice muslim country

8 hours ago, The manic said:

You should emigrate to any muslim country that will have you. Sounds logical to me.

Because defending religious freedom in one country means you should go to where there isn't any?

4 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Because defending religious freedom in one country means you should go to where there isn't any?

Surely you ain't claiming that the peace loving Islamic countries are not "free". It's the religion of peace and love, or so they claim.

Edited October 1, 20187 yr by thaibeachlovers

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Surely you ain't claiming that the peace loving Islamic countries are not "free". It's the religion of peace and love, or so they claim.

Surely you ain't claimng that your comment is in any way relevant to the issue of religious freedom in countries that guarantee it

4 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Surely you ain't claimng that your comment is in any way relevant to the issue of religious freedom in countries that guarantee it

I was supporting the manic's post that you replied to.

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I was supporting the manic's post that you replied to.

Well, once telepathy becomes a universal phenomenon, that may be a valid defense of your comment. Although given the remarkable obtuseness of the manic's comment, I'm not sure that in this case it's much of a defense.

Anyway,  I believe I already adequately addressed his comment. For a recap, see below.

 

8 hours ago, The manic said:

You should emigrate to any muslim country that will have you. Sounds logical to me.

 

22 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Because defending religious freedom in one country means you should go to where there isn't any?

 

24 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Because defending religious freedom in one country means you should go to where there isn't any?

 

No. But it does mean you should not accept people of a different religion imposing their religion, political system, legal system and culture on you, in your native land and then complaining bitterly of "racism" when they're not allowed to.

Go and try the same in any Muslim country - and do let us know how you get on!

 

Tolerance sadly rarely works with the intolerant. They take advantage not change.

2 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

No. But it does mean you should not accept people of a different religion imposing their religion, political system, legal system and culture on you, in your native land and then complaining bitterly of "racism" when they're not allowed to.

Go and try the same in any Muslim country - and do let us know how you get on!

 

Tolerance sadly rarely works with the intolerant. They take advantage not change.

Have Muslims been forcing non-Muslims in Germany to convert to Islam? How are they imposing a political system or a legal system? What does it mean to impose a culture? Do you mean Germans eating Doner Kebabs? Because that is shocking and unforgiveable.

19 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

Try building a new cathedral in Turkey and see far that gets


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

And how many European soccerplayers are in the Turkish national team?

1 hour ago, bristolboy said:

Have Muslims been forcing non-Muslims in Germany to convert to Islam? How are they imposing a political system or a legal system? What does it mean to impose a culture? Do you mean Germans eating Doner Kebabs? Because that is shocking and unforgiveable.

 

As I understand Turkish Muslims living in Germany are overwhelmingly OK and do not adhere to Islamist extremism, whereas many members of the forum are ideologically motivated to in effect create self fulfilling prophecies with their embedded hatred of all matters Muslim. In other words don't waste your time with the ignorant.

 

On 9/30/2018 at 8:29 AM, Xonax said:

It is a slow but steady islamic invasion of Europe. Muslims should live in islamic countries only.

 

Would that apply to all religions or just Muslims.

 

Where would agnostics live then?

 

BTW are you a Christian living in a Buddhist country?