During the match against Antalyaspor, Besiktas supporters tossed hundreds of soft toys onto the field in support of the quake-affected children.

After four minutes and 17 seconds, the game was called off to commemorate the first earthquake that occurred in Turkey and Syria at 4:17 am on February 6.

The toys, which will be distributed to kids in Turkey and Syria, were then thrown from the stands by the spectators.

The home crowd responded with slogans that were critical of the administration.

Following the earthquakes, more than 50,000 people have perished.

Besiktas stated that during the game, “our fans organized a significant event named ‘This toy is my friend’ to boost the spirits of the earthquake-affected youngsters.

“The supporters hurled scarves, berets, and stuffed animals as gifts for the kids in the disaster region.”

Before the game, a pre-match ceremony was organized, and supporters cheered on the search and rescue personnel present at Vodafone Stadium while the Besiktas players warmed up wearing caps bearing the names of the country’s ravaged southern cities.

Tayyib Sanuc, a defender, said: “There are more significant things than football. As a nation, we are going through a challenging time. We shall mend the scars collectively.

“Our fans organized a significant occasion; I was really moved. I pray such disaster never happens to us again.

Following the earthquake, Gaziantep and Hatayspor withdrew from the Turkish Super Lig season. Christian Atsu of Hatayspor was one of those killed.

Fans of Besiktas and Fenerbahce continue to demonstrate.
Teddy bears were tossed onto the field by players as a show of sympathy for the children affected by the earthquake.
Many individuals are now homeless as a result of the earthquakes that devastated southern Turkey and northern Syria.
After the earthquakes struck and approximately 1.5 million people were left without basic necessities, public resistance to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has grown.

The Besiktas supporters kept up their calls for the government to quit over its response to the disaster on Sunday. Erdogan is expected to face the most difficult elections of his 20 years in power on May 14.

They are not the only ones who have voiced their opinions; Erdogan-supporting Istanbul team Fenerbahce fans also did so on Saturday when they played pro-government club Konyaspor, chanting, “Twenty years of lies and cheating, resign.”

Erdogan’s AK party’s de facto coalition partner, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) led by Devlet Bahceli, denounced the chanting as “dirty politics” and demanded that the two clubs be required to play their games behind closed doors in order to stop further demonstrations.

Some clubs reject the anti-government demonstrations.

The Rize-based Caykur Rizespor newspaper described them as “provocative deeds” and referred to the demonstrators as “rats.”

“That was not merely giving presents with joy,” analysis
Teddy bears are thrown onto the field by Besiktas supporters in support of the children affected by the earthquake.
During the game on Sunday, Besiktas supporters chanted “government resign.”
BBC News by Selin Girit

Besiktas supporters broke out in anti-government shouts when the toys were thrown into the playing field.

Not only was it giving toys with joy, but it was also a protest in and of itself.

Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the government’s de facto coalition partner, resigned from Besiktas in response to the “government resign” shouts, calling them foolish and irresponsible.

He also demanded that plans be made so that games would take place in stadiums that were empty. Five MHP politicians also resigned after Bahceli.

The handling of the earthquake was perceived as inadequate, and the Turkish Red Crescent, the nation’s humanitarian organization, came under fire for selling more than 2,000 tents to a volunteer organization just days after the earthquakes struck. As a result, anti-government sentiment has increased.

Crowds who want to chant protests in the hundreds view football events as possibilities because the government does not permit freedom of assembly or expression.