DThe Koblenz public prosecutor’s office has initiated an investigation against Anwar El Ghazi, professional from Mainz 05. “According to our assessment, there is initial suspicion against the accused of disturbing the public peace by endorsing crimes in conjunction with incitement to hatred by disseminating content,” said the Koblenz Public Prosecutor’s Office in response to a query from the FAZ.
Those responsible at Mainz 05 did not want to comment when asked by the FAZ. After the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel, 28-year-old El Ghazi posted “I stand with Palestine” on his Instagram channel in conjunction with the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.
Those responsible at Mainz 05 then suspended El Ghazi and issued a warning, but after various discussions wanted to allow him back into training and games. El Ghazi has been on sick leave since Monday. He published a post on Instagram in which he announced that nothing had changed in his position.
Sports director Christian Heidel made an emotional statement about the case on Friday. “I don’t explain anything to myself anymore,” he said in Mainz. “I think everyone has now realized that this no longer has anything to do with football or sport. This is a highly political issue, a highly legal and also labor law issue,” said Heidel. “This is a case that has never happened at Mainz 05, and I deeply regret that something like this can happen.” At Mainz 05 but no one can do anything about it.
“We are talking about a case that interests the whole world,” said Heidel. The board of Mainz 05 will make a statement if “something has been decided and checked beforehand”. Early on Friday evening, the club announced in a short statement that El Ghazi had been “terminated with immediate effect”.