The match between Arsenal and Tottenham in the English Women’s Football League witnessed great tensions after a group supporting the Palestinians demonstrated in front of the Emirates Stadium in the British capital, London, which sparked great criticism from Jewish fans who felt afraid to attend the match out of concern for their safety.
The newspaper noted,GuardianThe British newspaper reported that one of the fans said that she felt “betrayed” after she saw the anti-Israel demonstration outside the Emirates Stadium, while about 20 fans decided to leave in front of the stadium without attending the match, believing that “their safety was at risk due to the security personnel’s failure to reduce the protest.” .
An organization called “Football for Palestine” organized a demonstration to reject the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, and banners appeared in support of the Palestinians and against sponsors of the major English club.
One of the Jewish fans who arrived at the stadium more than two hours before the start of the match told the Guardian that the demonstrators were already protesting near the statue of “Thierry Henry” in front of the Emirates Stadium, noting that there were bag checks and security inspections in several locations before arriving at the gates. Leading to the stadium stands.
Fans also pointed out that they had “alert” Arsenal management about the demonstration, and were informed that the club would try to keep the protests “away from the fans,” and that “their safety is a top priority, and that security will be on the lookout for any political or inflammatory messages.”
It is noteworthy that the demonstration was peaceful and there were no reports of any violent acts that occurred during it.
The “Football for Palestine” organization, which organized the protest, calls for an end to sponsorship deals with companies linked to Israel, and the expulsion of Israel from the European and International Football Associations, until a permanent ceasefire is reached in the current war in Gaza, in addition to “ending the occupation.” .
The club responded in a statement to the events, saying: “The safety of all fans attending our matches is a top priority. We worked with the police before Sunday’s match, to ensure there was a plan that could be implemented to minimize the impact of the demonstrations.”
He continued: “The gathering took place in a public place outside the Emirates Stadium, and it is not our responsibility to stop protests in public places. Our employees dealt with cases in which prohibited materials were found inside the stadium.”
Arsenal won with a clean goal against Tottenham, scored by Alicia Russo early in the second half, bringing the team to 34 points from 15 matches, three points behind leaders Chelsea.
The war broke out following an attack carried out by the latter on October 7, on Israel, which resulted in the killing of more than 1,160 people, the majority of whom were civilians and including women and children, according to a census conducted by Agence France-Presse based on official Israeli figures.
Israel vowed to “eliminate” Hamas after the attack, and began a devastating bombardment on the Gaza Strip, followed by ground operations, causing the deaths of 30,631 people, the majority of whom were women and children, according to the Ministry of Health in the Strip.
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