Turkey says Germany's ban on President Erdogan's addressal 'unacceptable'

London, Aug. 1 (ANI): Turkey has condemned the German court's decision to ban President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's addressal of supporters through video link at a rally in the German city of Cologne. The German Police put the final turnout at about 40,000 as demonstrators chanting "Turkey" and waving national flags turned at the rally site. Amid fears the crowd could be riled by live screenings of speeches from Turkey by politicians including Erdogan, Germany banned an application for such broadcasts. Tensions have been running high among Germany's three million-strong Turkish population in the wake of last month's failed coup and authorities deployed 2,700 police officers on the streets of the Rhineland city on Sunday to keep the peace, reports the Guardian. A statement from the Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said the ban was "unacceptable" and that it was a violation of the Freedom of Expression and the Right to Free Assembly The statement added, "We are curious about the real reason why the German authorities and the constitutional court banned President Erdogan's message and hope that the German authorities will provide a satisfactory explanation." Reportedly, many counter-rallies were also being held in Germany. (ANI)