In support of Palestine and Lebanon, fans confront the Israeli team with boos at the Stade de France

Fans booed and whistled at the Stade de France before the French national team's match against Israel in the European Football Nations League on Thursday, while a large number of supporters of the Palestinian cause and those in solidarity with Lebanon gathered to denounce and demand an end to the war of extermination waged by the Israeli occupation.

In the city of Saint-Denis, which is only two kilometers away from the Stade de France, the scene of the match between the French national team and its Israeli counterpart, as part of the fifth round of the European Nations League, after the demonstrators raised the red card in the face of the two teams, in support of the two Arab countries, through banners calling for the cancellation of the match, amid unprecedented security measures.

Supportive messages for Palestine

Palestinian and Lebanese flags were raised in the Saint-Denis town square, according to video clips published by human rights activists and activists on Thursday evening. The attendees’ slogans included supportive phrases, such as: “Long live Palestine,” and also “Long live the Palestinian resistance.” The demonstrations were attended by members of the French parliament, and the demonstrators walked in the streets carrying their flags, and approached the most famous tourist landmark in the world, the Eiffel Tower.

These pro-palestinians are reassembled in Saint-Denis to declare the match between France and Israel this week at the Stadium of France. #FRAISR #Israel #Palestine #Gaza pic.twitter.com/WFVip8Net6

— Luc Auffret (@LucAuffret) November 14, 2024

French MPs tweeted on their social media accounts, including Thomas Portes, who said: “The match of shame and a real failure, only 15,000 tickets were sold, the French people do not support the whitewashing process led by the Israeli government, at a time when genocide is being committed, Israel must be ostracized from the ranks of nations.”

While Alma Dufour added: "Holding the France-Israel match is an insult to international law. Israel should not play in France, after violating the rulings of the International Court of Justice."

As the time for the confrontation approached, the demonstrators moved towards the stadium carrying their flags. The crowds were large and determined to achieve their goal, armed with the phrase "Long live Palestine, Palestine is ours" in an attempt to stop the match, in a solidarity move aimed at stopping the genocide, but the security forces confronted them and stopped them, knowing that the security presence was heavy this time, and several units participated by order of the Ministry of Interior.

Low turnout and boos

The Stade de France recorded a very weak attendance, as the French RMC Sport website revealed that it was the weakest in the stadium’s history, ranging between 15 and 20 thousand fans, less than the previous number recorded in the France-New Zealand match in 2003, while commentators mocked the large security presence, and stated that it was greater than the attendance of the fans.

Boos were heard when the Israeli national team's anthem was played before the kick-off of the match against the French national team, the home team, when those present whistled in protest against it and the players, despite the small number of spectators. It is worth noting that the stands witnessed some tensions and quarrels in the first half, despite the small number of attendees and the security reinforcements.

FLOP MONSTRUEUX LE STADE EST VIDE ❌😂

France on massive BOYCOTTÉ match France-Israël 🤢

Don't forget to say that people don't care. We don't have anything solid in this COMPLICITÉ

pic.twitter.com/KHe7P8WO5L

— Ilan Gabet (@Ilangabet) November 14, 2024

The first incidents began ten minutes after the start of the confrontation, between Israeli and French fans, behind the goal of the French goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, which necessitated the intervention of security, by placing a blue rope separating the two parties.

The French radio station BFM reported that a group of Israeli Ultras were behind the riots, after they initially verbally assaulted their French counterparts, before the incidents developed into beatings, which prompted security forces to intervene and break up the fight, after which other riot police units were called in, which contributed to restoring calm to the stands.

A French national team fan showed his unlimited support for the Palestinian cause, after he raised the Palestinian flag in the stadium stands, despite the strict measures announced by the French government to ban all flags other than the flags of France and the Israeli occupation team.

Before the stadium of France in 10 minutes during the match between France and Israel, in the city of Israel, the supporters of the French team don't have a voice in which the Israeli supporters chant for the sake of not getting the entendre. @UEFA @fff

📹… pic.twitter.com/VyHBmVAZh0

— Instinct Foot ⚽ (@instinctfoot) November 14, 2024

The young man, Emmanuel Hoarau, posted a picture of himself in the stadium with the Palestinian flag, and sent a special message to the French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retaillo, who had taken the decision to ban the Palestinian flags, and wrote: “No measure that restricts freedom of expression can make us forget the ongoing massacre against civilians in Gaza, Bruno Retaillo... Free Palestine.”

Source: Al-Araby Al-Jadeed