The president of the Nationalist Action party and Erdogan’s government partner spoke of an internal and external political conspiracy by a handful of fanatics and hooligans. Devlet Bakhceli referring to strong disapproval against the government by Besiktas fans on Saturday night at the stadium.

“Demanding the resignation of the government, causing political chaos in the stands is an internal and external political conspiracy ordered by a handful of fanatics and hooligans,” he said, according to what SKAI correspondent Manolis Kostidis reported from Istanbul.

He continued: “I want to declare to my people that I resigned as a member of Besiktas that I loved. Now I am a member of the Karagumruk team.”

On Saturday night, Besiktas fans, following the example of Fenerbahce fans, chanted slogans calling on the Turkish government to resign, in one of the rare loud and open protests against the authorities in the country.

“Government, resign!” chanted by thousands of Besiktas fans in Istanbul at the Inonou Stadium this evening during the league match against Antalyaspor.

They also threw stuffed animals on the lawn to honor child victims of the February 6 earthquake that killed more than 44,000 people in Turkey and also hit neighboring Syria.

On Saturday, Fenerbahce fans chanted “Lies, deceptions, it’s been 20 years, resign!” during a match against Konyaspor.

Following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake, the Turkish government has been heavily criticized by the opposition and independent media for a delayed response to earthquake-hit areas