German politician Alexander Gauland has caused more than a slight stir with his recent remarks about German football Jerome Boateng.
Gauland, a proponent of anti-immigration sentiment and deputy chairman of the Alternative for Germany party, said of Boateng that while some people might appreciate his performance on the football field they would not want ‘someone like him as a neighbour’.
Boateng was born in Berlin in 1988, before the fall of the Berlin wall. His lineage is Ghanaian and his brother Kevin-Prince plays for the Ghanaian national team.
Responding to the racist remark, German coach Joachim Low said:
“It isn’t the first time that we have been confronted by such remarks. They require no comment; such people discredit themselves on their own.”
The German people also responded with the hashtag #boatengmeinnachbar (Boateng My Neighbour) to highlight their disagreement with Gauland’s views.
nichts gegen meine nachbarn aber #boatengmeinnachbar wäre super @JB17Official
— Karsten Mäske *1892* (@kmaeske) May 29, 2016
.@AfD_Bund #BoatengMeinNachbar
The only way I’d annoy him would be by asking for his autograph regularly 😏
— Bayern Central (@bayerncentral) May 29, 2016
When Boateng did more for Germany than the AfD ever have yet Gauland thinks it's appropriate to throw racist remarks. #BoatengMeinNachbar
— olivia (@_fcwemove) May 29, 2016
https://twitter.com/younqzaki/status/736857028266754049
#BoatengmeinNachbar Auch als @BVB-Fan ist mir ein #Boateng als Nachbar immer willkommen. #NeinzuHass #NeinzuAngstmachern
— Kai Gleißner (@kaigleissner) May 29, 2016
