FX.co ★ German restaurant receives threats over selling Erdogan Burgers

Already world-famous after drawing fierce controversy from Erdogan supporters, Erdogan Burgers, named after the Turkish president, have now returned on the menu of Cologne’s eatery Urban Burgery. The first appearance of the “delicious and juicy” item provoked a mixed reaction, forcing the restaurant to shut its doors for a few days due to a wave of threats. The management of the burger bar decided not to dance to the tune of Turkish nationalists, putting the Erdogan Burger back on the menu. "We'll sell it for as long as people want it or until Erdogan ends his policy," Jörg Tiemann, the owner of Urban Burgery, said. In fact, the specialty was greeted with roaring demand and immediately turned into a commercial hit, accounting for 75% of the restaurant’s total turnover.

The managers were faced with severe criticism and threats for selling Erdogan Burgers from the supporters of the Turkish leader, mainly in the form of comments on the eatery’s official Facebook page. Besides, three Turkish workers had to quit their jobs owing to the threats. Amid such a strong reaction, the restaurant’s owner had to tighten security measures to protect his staff, in particular install 24-hour surveillance cameras.

Erdogan Burgers are garnished with a thick slice of goat’s cheese in reference to a satirical poem about Turkey’s president, written and performed by German comedian Jan Böhmermann. More significantly, the specialty is a response to criminal charges filed against two Turkish reporters. President Tayyip Erdogan was a complainant in the trial. Jörg Tiemann said the Erdogan Burger was his own protest against the Turkish leader, which is a mark of solidarity with the journalists sentenced to five years in jail “for revealing state secrets”.