A Turkish state-run Islamic association is celebrating its 40th anniversary in Hamburg from May 14 to 17. While the city has provided a public square for the cultural event, the extremist guest list has sparked major controversy.
Although four of the DITIB’s six original speakers were recently disinvited, critics warn that the remaining guests hold extremist and antisemitic views. Islam expert Eren Güvercin highlighted that Furkan Tiraşçı, a Turkish müezzin, has downplayed the Hamas-led October 7 massacre and praised its leader Ismail Haniyeh as a “martyr,” while comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Hitler.
Another speaker, Mahmut Sağır, reportedly used classic antisemitic tropes, referring to a “cursed community” that has “soaked the world in blood for centuries.” With these fanatics onboard, the event continues to face backlash for providing a platform to individuals who glorify terror and spread hate under the guise of religious scholarship.
