Only 16,611 fans saw France, 'Israel' match at 80,000-capacity stadium
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The Nations League match kicked off under heavy security following last week’s clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and Israeli hooligans in Amsterdam.
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Stadium security intervenes next to supporters holding Israeli flags during the UEFA Nations League League A, Group A2, soccer match between France and "Israel" at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, on the northern outskirts of Paris, on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
France's football match against the Israeli occupation entity on Thursday drew a crowd of only 16,611 spectators at an 80,000-capacity Stade de France stadium, marking the lowest attendance for a French men’s national team game since the venue’s inauguration in the late 1990s, AFP reported.
Police arrested 40 individuals during the tense match between France and "Israel" in Paris, with the city’s police chief stating on Friday that the extensive security measures had “worked very well,” the news agency said.
The Nations League match kicked off under heavy security following last week’s clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and hooligans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.
On November 7, clashes broke out across the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, after Israeli hooligans physically assaulted citizens, took down Palestinian flags displayed on private property, and chanted provocative slogans inciting violence against Arabs and Palestinians.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in France reported Friday that Israeli fans were the first to assault the rival fans, confirming that Mossad agents were present among supporters.
Clashes erupted tonight at the Stade de France during the Nations League match between #France and "Israel", as tensions flared both on and off the pitch.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 14, 2024
The stadium was notably half-empty, with many French fans boycotting the event in a strong show of solidarity with the… pic.twitter.com/pdWwzf0b3J
Approximately 4,000 police officers and French security personnel, supported by 1,600 civilian security staff, were deployed to maintain order inside and around the stadium.
At one point, stewards had to step in to prevent fans from both sides from clashing in the stands, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.
“A fight broke out which was immediately contained by the stewards,” Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told France 2 television, adding that “the match went very well from a security point of view.”
AFP cited a security source as saying that one individual was arrested on the spot following the altercation, while another was detained after being identified through CCTV footage.
The match ended in a goalless draw, but the result was sufficient for France to secure a spot in the Nations League quarter-finals.
Read more: Israelis, French far-right threaten Melenchon, other officials
