Tuchel speaks on right-wing extremisim in Germany

 

MUNICH – Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel said that “there can be no doubt” when it comes to standing against right-wing extremism amid a wave of protests in Germany against the far-right.

“We can’t stand up enough. There’s no doubt about fighting against all forms of extremism, but obviously also against right-wing extremism in particular given the discussion and our history. There can be no doubt there,” Tuchel said in a news conference on Saturday.

Germany has seen a surge of demonstrations against the far-right after an investigative report said that right-wing extremists and politicians from the German far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party had met to discuss plans for the deportation of millions of migrants from Germany.

The media outlet Correctiv said it had uncovered details of a meeting in a Potsdam villa in November attended by senior officials with the AfD, some conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) members and members of the arch conservative Werteunion group.

On Friday, during the memorial ceremony to the late German football great Franz Beckenbauer, Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeneß made a clear political statement against the AfD.

Speaking of how Beckenbauer made the German nation proud, Hoeneß said: “We have to get back to where we are all proud of our country. But I would like to emphasize very clearly that I do not want the AfD to be part of this process.”

On Thursday, Freiburg coach Christian Streich called on professional football and its fans to take part in the nationwide demonstrations against right-wing extremism.

Streich himself participated in a rally in Freiburg on Wednesday. he stressed that not only football fans are citizens, but also coaches and top officials.