The townsfolk of Devrek, Turkey will hold a demonstration to show their support for Arsenal star Mesut Ozil over the course of the 29th Devrek Walkingstick & Cultural Festival.
The festival will take place between 17-19 August.
Ozil’s family originate from Devrek and the Arsenal playmaker has become a huge star among the locals.
The demonstration will take place with the locals wearing a mask of Ozil’s face alongside a message which reads: ‘I am Mesut Ozil’.
The 29-year-old also has an avenue named after him and a billboard with his photograph displayed.
The town recently removed his photograph wearing the Germany national team shirt from his 2014 World Cup triumph and replaced it with his pose alongside Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ozil quit the national team citing racism and discrimination. The trouble started when he posed for a photograph with Erdogan and escalated further after Germany’s early exit from the World Cup in Russia.
The former Germany international felt he was made a scapegoat and that he felt abandoned by the German FA after receiving widespread abuse from sections of the media and the far-right.
Ozil explained his decision to retire from international football in a three-piece statement shared across his social media channels.
