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A elephantine banner reads "Free Palestine" is seen earlier the Champions League opening signifier shot lucifer betwixt Paris Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid astatine the Parc des Princes stadium successful Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo)
A “Free Palestine” banner which was unfurled by Paris Saint-Germain’s supporters during a UEFA Champions League lucifer against La Liga broadside Atletico Madrid has sparked controversy. The banner has attracted the ire of French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who called it “unacceptable.”
The banner included a representation depicting Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza successful colors of the keffiyeh scarf, which has go a awesome of enactment for Palestinian people. The banner besides had a quality looking similar a masked fighter, a vessel and a Lebanon flag, reported the Associated Press.
The banner had the words Free Palestine emblazoned crossed it successful bold letters. Under that, was the message: “War connected the pitch, but bid successful the world.”
The connection was a notation to the ongoing warfare successful the Middle East with Israel attacking Gaza for the past year.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau reportedly told Sud Radio helium volition request an mentation from PSG. The nine is owned by Qatar Sports Investments since 2011. Retailleau did not regularisation retired immoderate enactment against the nine for allowing the fans to show what has been deemed a governmental statement.
“This is unacceptable. UEFA rules forbid governmental messages, and it is simply a governmental message,” Retailleau thundered.
There was besides outrage successful France from Jewish groups. Yonathan Arfi, the president of the Representative Council of the French Jewish institutions, branded the banner arsenic “scandalous.”
“A representation wherever the authorities of Israel nary longer exists. A masked Palestinian fighter. This is not a connection of bid but a telephone to hatred. The perpetrators of this banner indispensable beryllium punished! Intolerable!” Arfi wrote connected X.
The incidental comes astatine a tense time. The French nationalist squad hosts Israel connected November 14 successful the Nations League. Pro-Palestinian supporters had precocious protested astatine the French Football Federation to request that the crippled beryllium cancelled. French authorities confirmed past period that the lucifer would spell up with fans allowed successful the stadium.
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