The Celtic football club was penalized £15,200 for their supporters displaying Palestinian flags during a recent Champions League game against Atlético Madrid in Glasgow.
Uefa stated that the flags, which were in the hundreds, were considered to be “messages of an offensive nature” and were seen as provocative.
On October 25, fans were cautioned by Celtic not to show flags, but a video posted on Instagram showed them singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” while holding Palestinian flags. They also unveiled two big banners reading “Free Palestine” and “Victory to the Resistance.”
The Hamas-led government in Gaza reports that a minimum of 14,100 Palestinians have lost their lives, including numerous children, during the conflict with Israel. The conflict started on October 7th when Hamas initiated attacks from Gaza into southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,200 people, primarily innocent civilians. Additionally, over 240 individuals were taken as hostages.
Celtic currently holds the fourth spot in Group E of the Champions League with only one point after playing four matches. In addition, they were penalized with a fine of £10,000 due to their supporters obstructing walkways and setting off fireworks.
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The team, which has been in conflict with the Green Brigade fan group lately due to various disagreements and incidents, has informed fans going to Rome for the upcoming Champions League game against Lazio that all flags, banners, and drums must be approved by the Italian club beforehand.
Source: theguardian.com
