Germany’s anti-immigration party 'Alternative für Deutschland' (AfD) has been forced to apologise after its deputy leader made some bizarre, controversial remarks about Bayern Munich defender Jérôme Boateng.
German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung quoted AfD politician Alexander Gauland as saying:
people like him [Boateng] as a football player. But they don’t want to have a Boateng as their neighbour.
Boateg, a teetotal Christian, was born to a German mother and Ghanaian father, and is widely expected to stand in as captain for the world champions' Euros campaign.
After widespread criticism of his remarks, Gauland apologised:
I don’t know him [Boateng] and would never come up with the idea of denigrating his personality.
Schalke and Germany defender Benedikt Höwedes, who started next to Boateng during the 2014 World Cup final, was quick to jump to his international teammate's aid, tweeting "If you want to win titles for Germany, you need neighbours like him. #Defence."
Wenn du für Deutschland Titel gewinnen willst, brauchst du Nachbarn wie ihn. #Abwehr #🏆⚽️🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/hXzsI5aCq2
— Benedikt Höwedes (@BeneHoewedes) May 29, 2016
The Guardian report that Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung also interviewed Boateng’s neighbours in Munich’s exclusive Grünwald district. One local commented that “it’s mainly the normal people who have wild parties here, not celebrities”, while a grey-haired man on the same street described Boateng as “very nice and down-to-earth. His children go to the kindergarten around the corner. Very normal.” You've got to love the Germans.
The national team's faltering form continued in today's 3-1 friendly defeat to Slovakia in Augsburg ahead of Tuesday's squad announcement, but it's a game which will be remembered for the German fans showing their support for one of their star defenders in the face of a racial storm, with one child telling Boateng to "move in alongside us".
Germany fans supporting Boateng: 'Jerome, be our neighbour'! pic.twitter.com/CdTTCa0WXe
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) May 29, 2016
Wenn der DFB es schon nicht schafft, ein Zeichen zu setzten, die Fans kriegen es wieder ganz gut hin:#Boateng pic.twitter.com/xXPH1kocd5
— Rafael Buschmann (@Rafanelli) May 29, 2016
Young fans showing support for Jerome Boateng against racism pic.twitter.com/tzRsAENOaF
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) May 29, 2016
Nicely done.
