Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday the "spirit of fascism" was running rampant in Europe, as pro-Ankara hackers defaced top Twitter accounts in an escalating crisis. Turkey and the European Union have become embroiled in an explosive crisis after key EU members The Netherlands and Germany blocked Turkish ministers from holding rallies to back constitutional changes expanding Erdogan's powers in an April 16 referendum. Erdogan has repeatedly accused the two countries of behaving like "Nazis", comments that have left The Hague and Berlin aghast and prompted warnings from Brussels for the Turkish strongman to show moderation.
EU chiefs on Wednesday blasted his comments as "detached from reality" and incompatible with Turkey's ambitions to join the bloc.
But far from stepping back, Erdogan ratcheted up his rhetoric a further notch, comparing the treatment of non-Europeans in Europe to that of the Jews in World War II and pointing to the rise of far-right populist politicians on the continent.
"The spirit of fascism is running wild on the streets of Europe," Erdogan said in a televised speech.
"Europe is heading towards being drowned in its own fears," Erdogan said. "Turkophobia is mounting. Islamophobia is mounting. They are even scared of migrants who take shelter there."