In recent football matches, displays of solidarity with Palestine emerged prominently across Europe, drawing attention from authorities and sparking political debate. During a UEFA Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Atletico Madrid at the Parc des Princes stadium, PSG fans displayed banners supporting Palestine. The main banner read “Free Palestine” in English, accompanied by another message in French, “Battle on the field but peace in the world,” alongside images of Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock Mosque and the Palestinian and Lebanese flags.

France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau criticised these actions and demanded an explanation from PSG, emphasising the need to keep political messages out of sport. Retailleau warned that should similar incidents recur, the government might consider banning banners for clubs that fail to comply with the League and UEFA regulations. Atletico Madrid defeated PSG 2-1, with Nahuel Molina and Angel Correa scoring for the visitors.

Solidarity displays continued the following day in the Netherlands, where Fenerbahce fans chanted “Free Palestine” during a UEFA Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar. Meanwhile, fans of another Turkish club, Galatasaray, held up banners reading “Free Palestine,” “Palestinian Genocide,” and “Let Gaza Babies Live” in a Europa League game, adding to the growing calls for international attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The backdrop of these protests lies in the ongoing war on Gaza by Israel, sparked by a Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023. Since then, Israeli airstrikes have killed nearly 43,500 people in Gaza, devastating the region and leading to a genocide case filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice.