PSG to escape UEFA sanctions after fans display 'Free Palestine' banner

Paris: Paris St Germain will not face disciplinary proceedings after their fans unfurled a 'Free Palestine' banner before kick-off in Wednesday's Champions League game at home to Atletico Madrid, European soccer's governing body UEFA said.

The 50x20-metre banner was displayed in the Auteuil Kop of the Parc des Princes, prompting France's Interior minister Bruno Retailleau to criticise the Qatar-owned club.

UEFA bans 'provocative' or 'insulting' political messages in stadiums, but said on Thursday the banner would not lead to potential sanctions despite some uproar in France and although previous political messages at matches resulted in punishments.

"There will ... be no disciplinary case because the banner that was unfurled cannot be in this case considered provocative or insulting," a UEFA spokesperson said.

Last year, Scottish club Celtic were fined 17,500 euros ($18,870) after their supporters waved Palestinian flags at a Champions League match.

The PSG fans' action took place eight days before France play Israel in a Nations League game in Paris with spectators allowed in the Stade de France.

Last month, Paris police officials said the game would 'of course be open to the public'.

Questions have been raised about security surrounding the France v Israel game in a country that has the largest Jewish community in Europe as well as its biggest population of Muslims.

Italy played Israel in Udine amid tight security, but Belgium hosted the Israelis in Debrecen, Hungary, after their federation said: "In Belgium, no local administration deemed it possible to organise the Red Devils' home match against Israel".

Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed around 43,400 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023, according to Gaza health ministry figures.

The conflict broke out after Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.

Palestinian keffiyeh

"Scandalous banner at the Parc des Princes! A map where the Israel State does not exist anymore. A masked-up Palestinian fighter. It is not a message of peace but a call for hatred," Yonathan Arfi, president of the Council of Jewish Institutions in France, wrote on social media platform X.

The banner featured what appeared to be a map of Israel in the colours of the Palestinian keffiyeh and a person with their clenched fist held up wearing the headscarf.

Under the banner, a message unrolled by the PSG fans read: "War on the pitch, but peace in the world."

Later in the game, another message was unveiled, saying: "Does a child's life in Gaza mean less than another?".

UEFA's stance was surprising as it fined Celtic last year amid a rigorous response to political messages in stadiums.

Last June, UEFA fined the Albanian and Serbian soccer federations 10,000 euros ($10,700) each for fans displaying banners with nationalist maps at European Championship games.

The governing body also sanctioned the Romanian soccer federation over pro-Serbia chanting by supporters during a Euro 2024 qualifier against Kosovo last year.

Celtic, the Albanian FA, Serbia's FA and Romanian federation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In 2016 England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales were all fined by world governing body FIFA for commemorating Armistice Day by having poppies on their shirts during matches.

It caused political uproar and a year later FIFA softened its stance, saying such symbols would be allowed, as long as opposition teams were in agreement.