Olympics opening ceremony ‘debases humanity,’ says Turkey’s Erdoğan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has criticized the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics for “debasing humanity to a level below animals,” saying that he decided not to attend the event after his granddaughter “warned” him about the “LGBT show” that was going to take place.

Wednesday July 31 2024 02:53 pm

Duvar English

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on July 30 weighed in on the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics during a Justice and Development Party (AKP) meeting in the capital Ankara province.

The President repeated the sentiments expressed by the members of his party by calling the shows “a war against humanity and humane values.”

“The immorality displayed at the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games once again highlighted the extent of the threat we face,” said Erdoğan.

He decided against attending the ceremony despite French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron’s invitation, due to a “warning” made by his granddaughter about the nature of the show.

“Macron invited me. I said I could come. My 13-year-old granddaughter said, "Grandpa, don't go." I asked, "Why?" She said, "They will have an LGBT show there." She showed me those images on Instagram. I said, "Okay, my dear, I won't go."

Erdoğan found the lively show a “hostility toward humanity, nature, and the values that make us human.”

“What is being attempted in Paris is a project to degrade humans, who are the noblest of creatures, to a level lower than animals,” he continued.

Referring to the alleged allusions to the “Last Supper” during the ceremony, Erdoğan said the event “offended not only the Catholic world and Christians but us just as much.”

The President planned on calling Pope Francis at the first opportunity to share his thoughts about the immorality against Christians and all Christianity.

Thomas Jolly, the artistic director behind the opening ceremony, said the scene had not been inspired by "The Last Supper" and depicted a pagan feast linked to the gods of Olympus.

“The LGBT lobby has taken the West hostage. They can't speak out, but we do,” stated Erdoğan, criticizing the Turkish opposition parties, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party for “not speaking out against the LGBT lobby.”

“We will continue our fight against perverse movements,” concluded the Turkish President.