Turkey fans boo minute's silence for Paris attack victims - but it wasn't a mark of disrespect, claim social media commentators

Turkish fans booed during a minute's silence before their national team faced Greece in a friendly on Tuesday night in Istanbul, but comments on social media suggest the booing was not a mark of disrespect to the 129 victims who were killed in Paris on Friday.

The silence was observed at matches across Europe, including Wembley Stadium where England hosted France, as a mark of respect to the people killed by Islamic State militants. The term 'Allahu Akbar' can also be heard, with suggestions from some media that supporters in the crowd were in support of ISIS.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras watched the game together, in a sign of reconciliation between the two neighbors, whose relationship has suffered from hostilities in the past. It was the first time the two teams had met for eight years and the Turkish Football Federation had announced a string of additional security measures before the match at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium stadium in Istanbul, which was a 17,000 sell out.

Turkish manager Fatih Terim suggested after the game that fans at the Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium should have been more respectful.

"Our fans should have behaved during the national anthems and during the one minute silence," Terim is quoted as saying after the 0-0 draw.

"Greece is our neighbour. Today is world neighbours day, but our fans didn't behave like neighbours in this match."

However, comments on social media sites have suggested that the boos were not to disrespect those who had died in the attacks - but more to do with the hypocrisy of the Western world.

International teams did not hold a minute's silence after the Ankara terror attack in October. More than 100 people died in the Turkish capital after two bombs were set off outside the Ankara Central railway station on 11 October; Turkish fans also booed during a minute's silence of their game against Iceland on 13 October.

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Abs Pangader Actually, they're chanting "Sehitler olmez, vatan bolunmez." Which means "Martyrs never die, the nation won't be divided." This is a common slogan thrown in remembrance of Turkish soldiers who fell victim to terrorism. In Turkey, there is rarely a minute of silence that isn't interrupted by this chant. Whether its a minute of silence for a Turkish catastrophe, or something else that happened globally, this always happens.

Mert Kılıçsoy its was response of injustice,they didnt boo minute's silence for paris attack victims.the millions of ppl dying in turkey couse of terrorist attacks where were you when more than 100 people killed in ankara ?

Mohamed El-Hami They were upset because there were mass killing by ISIL and Kurdish army and lots of deaths in turkey and no country or football team or fans in Europe stood a silence minute for their victims.

Babak Esmailpour When ISIS killed innocent Turkish who remain silent or salute them ?no one.

Motaz Amjad It's because of double standards, few weeks ago there was an attack in Ankara and more than hundred where dead In a " peace protest" yet nobody cared or gave minute silence for them. So they decided not to give something they didn't get,, although you don't fix a mistake with another one but that's how it went. Mistakes happen.

Ibrahim Abdullahi Wada They were also attacked several times but no one cares. So they have many reasons to do that.

Shahab Raza Are only french people dying ??? How about others huh...minute of silence

Ahmed Azzam Why was there no minute silence for the innocent Iraqis murdered over the last decade, the Syrians who have been slaughtered, the Palestinians murdered, the genocide of the Burmese people...... Booing was wrong absolutely, but don't criticise people without context ... These people are sick of seeing western blood values so so so much more than others and it's a Rubbish... If you're gonna do a minute silence do if for everyone equally

Levent M. Hameed No one makes a minute of silence for all the victims i middle east. 150 deaths is a regular day in Iraq and Syria. Turkey is a neighbor to both of them and have relatives which died because of terror crimes. Without of minute of silence. That's why. And they're right. Its not against the victims, its about the hypocrisy.

Talha Shahid Coz Paris was not the first to be targeted.... Before that a lot more countries suffered this

Additional reporting from Reuters