PSG fans display 'Free Palestine' banner during Champions League match

Fans of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) made a bold political statement ahead of their Champions League match against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, unveiling a massive “Free Palestine” banner at the Parc des Princes stadium.

The display, which was organised by the club’s Boulogne Kop supporters, also featured another banner that asked, “Does a child’s life in Gaza mean less than another?”

Israel has been conducting a relentless offensive against the Gaza Strip since the October 7, 2023.The ongoing assault has claimed nearly 43,400 lives and left the enclave nearly uninhabitable. Israel is now facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the besieged territory.

As PSG prepared for their European fixture, the fans also added a powerful message reading, “War on the pitch, but peace in the world,” alongside an image of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Lebanese flag.

The latter reference highlighted the ongoing violence between Israel and Hezbollah, which has claimed lives in Lebanon in recent days.

While the banners were met with applause from some, PSG was quick to distance itself from the political protest. In a statement issued shortly after the match, the French club stressed that it had not been informed about the display in advance.

PSG reiterated its commitment to keeping the Parc des Princes a place for football fans to unite around their shared passion, and confirmed its opposition to any political messages being displayed in the stadium.

“The Parc des Princes is and must remain a place of communion around a common passion for soccer,” the statement read. “We firmly oppose any message of a political nature in our stadium.”

This latest display of fan activism follows similar incidents in European football. In 2023, Celtic FC was fined €17,500 after supporters waved Palestinian flags during a Champions League match.

The controversy surrounding PSG’s protest comes as France prepares to host Israel in a Nations League clash at the Stade de France next week, raising concerns over potential political protests in the stands.

Meanwhile, security fears in Belgium led to the relocation of their Nations League match against Israel to Debrecen, Hungary, after Belgian authorities determined it was not safe to host the game in Brussels.

The PSG-Atletico Madrid match went ahead as planned, but the fans’ actions have once again sparked debate about the intersection of sport and politics in European football.

French Minister Criticises PSG Fans' ‘Free Palestine’ Banner

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has condemned the display of a massive "Free Palestine" banner by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fans ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against Atletico Madrid, calling it "unacceptable." The banner was unveiled by PSG’s hard-core fan group, the Paris Ultras Collective (CUP), before kickoff at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.

Bruno Retailleau expressed his concerns on Thursday, stating that he would demand explanations from the club. He told Sud Radio, "I am not ruling out anything. I want to know how this banner came to be unfurled." He added that Paris police chief Laurent Nunez had provided an explanation, but Retailleau insisted on further accountability.

European football's governing body, UEFA, confirmed to Reuters that PSG would not face any disciplinary action. A UEFA spokesperson explained that political messages are only subject to sanctions if deemed insulting or provocative, and in this case, the "Free Palestine" banner did not fall into that category.