French minister says Free Palestine banner at PSG game 'unacceptable'
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The banner, which spanned an entire section of the stadium, featured the Dome of the Rock Mosque from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied city of al-Quds.
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Fans unfurl a banner reading 'Free Palestine' ahead of the UEFA Champions League, League Phase - Matchday 4, football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Atletico Madrid at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, on November 6, 2024. (AFP)
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has criticized the display of a huge “Free Palestine” banner at Paris Saint-Germain's football match, deeming it “unacceptable”.
In an interview for Sud Radio, Retailleau was asked whether he would pursue sanctions against PSG, to which he responded, “I am not ruling out anything. I will demand explanations from PSG.”
The banner was unveiled by PSG supporters prior to their Champions League match against Atletico Madrid, just eight days before France’s Nations League game against the Israeli occupation entity's team in Paris.
The banner, which spanned an entire section of the stadium, featured the Dome of the Rock Mosque from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied city of al-Quds.
Mind blowing PSG Ultras' tifo ahead of their Champions League game vs Atlético de Madrid:
— Leyla Hamed (@leylahamed) November 6, 2024
"Free Palestine. War on the field but peace in the world.”
🇵🇸 @PSG_inside pic.twitter.com/qv4dhKIeKW
It also displayed a torn Palestinian flag marked with red stains and an image of a child wearing a shirt with the flag of Lebanon, where "Israel" is currently waging aggression across the country.
The “i” in “Free Palestine” was replaced by the map of occupied Palestine, colored in the distinctive pattern of the Palestinian koufiyyeh.
A message underneath read, “War on the pitch, but peace in the world.”
During the match, another message was unfurled, asking, “Does a child’s life in Gaza mean less than another?”
PSG, which is majority-owned by the Qatari government, stated that it had no prior knowledge of the display, adding that "the Parc des Princes is — and must remain — a place of communion around a shared passion for soccer."
The club also said it "firmly opposes any message of a political nature in its stadium.”
In 2023, Celtic FC was fined €17,500 after its fans displayed Palestinian flags during a Champions League match.
It is noteworthy that days after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA swiftly suspended Russia from all international competitions.
However, despite numerous calls, a similar action has not been taken against "Israel" after the start of its ongoing war on the besieged Gaza Strip.
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