Algerian fans erupt in pro-Palestine chants during Cup final
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Pro-Palestine chants at the Algerian Cup final captured national sentiment as fans urged action against the Israeli occupation in front of top officials.
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Algeria's national football team members celebrate with the fans during a parade after their win over Tunisia in the final of the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 hosted by Qatar, in Algiers, on December 20, 2021. (AP)
During the Algerian Cup final at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, thousands of fans delivered a powerful political message, erupting in unified chants calling to be sent to Palestine to join the fight against the Israeli occupation. The event, which drew the presence of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, senior government officials, and top military commanders, transformed from a sporting occasion into a bold act of political expression.
At the 62nd minute of the match, the stadium resonated with a unifying cry: "Oh state, what are you doing to us? Send us to Palestine to fight the Zionists."
The chant, spontaneous and synchronized, echoed throughout the stadium, drawing the attention of President Tebboune and the dignitaries in attendance for the trophy ceremony.
Social media praises youth solidarity with Palestine
Footage of the scene rapidly spread online, with Algerian users across social media platforms hailing the moment as a powerful expression of widespread public support for the Palestinian cause. Many praised the youth-led demonstration as a symbol of Algeria’s steadfast solidarity with Palestine and its rejection of normalization with "Israel."
Observers noted that the symbolism of the stadium added further weight to the message, linking the anti-apartheid legacy of Mandela with the ongoing struggle of Palestinians under occupation.
Football matches in Algeria become outlets for political sentiment
Analysts note that football stadiums in Algeria have increasingly become platforms for voicing pan-Arab unity and anti-occupation sentiment.
The raw intensity and spontaneity of the chants reflect a generational call to action, one that challenges authorities to acknowledge and respond to the public’s mounting frustration over ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza and the West Bank.
As political dissent increasingly takes root beyond traditional arenas, the chants at the Algerian Cup final underscore how national identity, popular sport, and unwavering solidarity with Palestine have become inseparable threads in the fabric of Algeria’s political consciousness.
Read more: Algerians call for expulsion of US embassy for complicity in Gaza war
