Antonio Rüdiger, the renowned footballer, is at the center of a controversy in Germany after being accused of links to terrorist organizations for, simply, having shared a photo of himself in white clothing, on a prayer rug, with his finger raised.
Julian Reichelt, the former editor-in-chief of the Bild newspaper, made the accusations, leading to a complaint for hate speech and defamation filed by the player and the German Football Association.
The photo, accompanied by a message wishing a “Ramadan Mubarak” to all Muslims, was published at the start of the holy month. Reichelt was slow to respond, but his criticism associated Rüdiger’s gesture with the Islamic State, about a sign classified as an “Islamic State finger” by Germany’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
The journalist refused to apologize and insisted that this gesture has become “indisputably the salvation of Daesh and Islamist killers around the world”, and that he is not innocent. Those who use it, he argues, adhere to a terrible ideology that has already taken up too much space in Germany.
Rüdiger, who grew up in a neighborhood with a large Muslim population in Berlin, has always displayed his attachment to his Muslim religion, and he is far from extremism. Personalities and organizations have shown their support for the player, criticizing the stigmatization and discrimination of Muslims.
This case is reminiscent of similar incidents involving Mesut Özil, also targeted for his Muslim identity.
The rise of Islamophobia and the normalization of hate speech in Germany raise concerns about diversity and tolerance within society.
