Celtic fans have raised their flags in the face of oppression, putting up Palestinian flags outside Parkhead ahead of the Champion’s League qualifier against Hapoel Beer Sheva, an Israeli club.
Celtic supporters: But as the fans have argued before, some things are more precious than money. #Celtic #celhap pic.twitter.com/PsRFd4z1m4
— M O H A M E D 🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪 (@achahbarmo) August 17, 2016
They received several police warnings, leaving the club to face yet another hearing from UEFA. Despite this, fans had coordinated last week on Facebook, with over 1000 people signing up and showing interest ahead of the match.
They stated that the reasoning behind it was that they wanted to protest as Hapoel Beer Sheva
“should not be allowed to participate in this competition due to the system of apartheid laws and practices including religious and ethnic based colonisation, military occupation and segregation of what remains of Palestinian land and over 90 laws which discriminate against indigenous Palestinians who make up 20% of the population of current day Israel.”
Several fans were escorted away by police as political expressions in football are forbidden as per UEFA rules. The statutes suggest that all the UEFA ensures that it will “promote football in Europe in a spirit of peace, understanding and fair play, without any discrimination on account of politics, gender, religion, race or any other reason.”
With this, the fans didn’t care and raised their flags, some of which read “Football Against Apartheid.” For all those who stand for truth, they were rewarded accordingly with 5-2 win against Hapoel Beer Sheva.
Celtic Fans ignore police warnings not to fly Palestinian flag in Champions League with israel match.. pic.twitter.com/AgOZLU4gWC
— Abbs Winston (@AbbsWinston) August 17, 2016
