Watch: Turkey football fans throw toys on field for earthquake-affected children during match in Istanbul

Spectators at a football match in Turkey on Sunday threw stuffed toys on to the field, a mark of solidarity with children in areas devastated by earthquakes earlier this month.

The match between Istanbul club football powerhouse Besiktas and Antalyaspor was stopped four minutes 17 seconds after the kick-off, representing the time (4:17 am) when the first of the two deadly earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria on February 6.

With play halted, Besiktas supporters threw thousands of soft toys on to the pitch, according to the BBC, which said the toys will be distributed among children in the quake-ravaged areas of Turkey and Syria. TV cameras captured the remarkable moment when toys rained down and players clapped.

Besiktas have launched a campaign asking fans to bring stuffed toys to its home ground, Vodafone Park, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency.

Players of both clubs, including those on the benches, volunteered to collect the toys from the pitch, it said.

The licence plate codes of the 11 Turkish provinces jolted by the quakes flashed on the scoreboard at the stadium, Anadolu Agency reported.

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