He Paris Saint-Germain risks sanctions after his fans unfurl a huge banner with the message “Free Palestine” in the party of Champions League in front of the Atletico Madrid.
The banner, which covered almost an entire stand of the Parque de los Principes Stadiumincluded a controversial design in which the letter “i” in “Palestine” took the form of a map of Israel in the country’s characteristic colors. keffiyehthe traditional Palestinian headscarf.
He French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Détaileaudescribed this act as “unacceptable” and expressed his intention to ask PSG for an explanation on the use of the stadium for a political message.
“Parc des Princes’ de bu akşam PSG taraftarları, Filistin ve Lübnan’daki çatışmaların kurbanları için anlamlı bir tifo ile sergiledi: ‘Filistin’e özgürlük.’ pic.twitter.com/x65cQbPh5L
– Sopalı Pankart (@SopaliFanzin) November 7, 2024
In an interview with Radio SouthRetailleau assured that he did not rule out the possibility of sanctions against the club. “I do not exclude any option,” he said, highlighting the concern of French authorities over the use of sports venues to express political positions amid the complex conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The controversy lies in the fact that the map of Israel on the banner, covered with Palestinian iconography, has been interpreted by some sectors as a possible call for the destruction of State of Israel.
In addition, on the banner, there was a Palestinian flag torn and spattered with bloodand the figure of a child with a shirt decorated with the flag of Lebanon, country involved in recent conflicts with Israel through the group Hezbollah.
France against Israel
This gesture from PSG supporters comes just eight days before an upcoming match between France And Israel inside Stade de Franceas part of the UEFA Nations League.
The event raised security concerns due to the complex situation in the Gaza region and the recent Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which triggered an Israeli counter-offensive with a high number of casualties Palestinians.
PSG, for its part, declared not having prior knowledge of plans to display the banner and published a press release in which he reiterated his commitment to maintaining the Parc des Princes as a space exclusively dedicated to football, “far from any message of a political nature”.
However, this incident joins similar precedents in European football, such as the case of Glasgow Celticsanctioned last year with a fine of 17,500 euros after the display of Palestinian flags by their supporters during a Champions League match.
The situation adds to tensions in a country like France, which is home to Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim communities and has seen increased security concerns at public events in recent months.
Despite this, authorities have confirmed that the next Nations League match between France and Israel will be held at the Stade de France in the presence of supporters.
The main message on the large banner was accompanied by another smaller slogan which read: “War in the countryside, but peace in the world”. Additionally, PSG supporters showed another banner with a message that read: “Is the life of one child in Gaza worth less than that of another?.
