Criminal complaint for Mazraoui over Palestine support

The conflict between Israel and Hamas is intensifying, and so is the ‘war’ in Bundesliga. There were a couple of footballers who expressed their support for the Palestinian people in Gaza on their social networks which caused big fuss mainly with the politicians. When Bayern player Noussair Mazraoui, an Arab from Morocco posted such a support, he was subject of condemnation from the CDU party politicians Johannes Steiniger and Christoph Ploss, who went as far as demanding that he should be expelled from Germany. And now other politician went even further – he filed a criminal complaint against the player.

German politicians want Mazraoui out of Bayern

The Green Party politician Volker Beck sent a complaint to the Munich police and public prosecutor's office against the Moroccan for "endorsing crimes".

“The statement 'help our oppressed brothers in Palestine so that they can achieve victory' said after the massacre on October 7th can only be understood as approval of Hamas' actions. Endorsing crimes against humanity is a punishable offence. Even after Mazraoui's verbal excuses, it can't be a simple 'sponge over it!' give. FC Bayern's treatment here is poor. I hope that the judiciary will make the club’s leaders aware of the dimensions of the process” he told Bild.

The situation with Dutch international in Mainz is also getting tighter. Anwar El Ghazi also posted about the Hamas – Israel war and got suspended by the relegation struggled club. The Bundesliga club suspended him after labelling his Instagram post as “unacceptable” was not in the squad for two league games. Mainz said Monday that El Ghazi had “distanced” himself from the post in conversations with the club’s management and let him go back to the first team. But then a U turn: El Ghazi stated that he doesn’t regret what he wrote.

“El Ghazi expressed his sympathy for the victims of this attack as well as for him all victims of this conflict. He made it clear that he does not question Israel's right to exist" read the club’s statement.

And just when things looked back to normal, the player responded

"I do not regret my stand in any way. I do not distance myself from what I said and stand for humanity and on the side of the oppressed until the last day I breathe. I do not owe any state a special responsibility. I do not believe that people or states are above all doubt and responsibility, nor are they above international law. The killing in Gaza must end” he wrote. And the club has to re-evaluate the situation with El Ghazi all over again in the middle of the relegation battle.