Celtic Glasgow football club has blocked the season tickets of a large group of fans. The “Green Brigade” had repeatedly taken a clearly pro-Palestinian position on the Middle East conflict – and from the club’s point of view, overstepped boundaries.
On Wednesday (November 1st, 2023) Celtic played against St. Mirren in the Scottish Premier League. Celtic won the game 2-1 and are still top of the league without a defeat – but there were a few empty seats at Celtic Park for the game. The club had blocked more than 200 season tickets from members of the ultra group “Green Brigade”.
Several empty seats at Celtic’s game against St Mirren
Fans see Ireland’s history as a parallel to the situation of the Palestinians
Celtic wrote an email to the respective fans and justified the measure with “unacceptable behavior“. Many offenses were listed, such as using pyrotechnics or breaking through turnstiles. But it becomes clear that the intention of the exclusion is different: it is about the pro-Palestinian position of the “Green Brigade” in the Middle East conflict.
Celtic’s history is shaped by Irish immigrants. And in Ireland in particular, support for the Palestinians is great, including in football. The Dublin club Bohemian even wears a third jersey in Palestinian colors and calls it the “Palestine away jersey”. Many people in Ireland, including many Celtic fans, see parallels to the situation of the Palestinians in Ireland’s history of British occupation. Celtic fans have been displaying the Palestinian flag at games for years. The problem for Celtic given the current situation in Israel: this attitude sometimes goes beyond solidarity.
Celtic fans with the poster “Liberate Palestine – Victory for the Resistance!” on October 7, the day of the Hamas attack
Solidarity with Palestinians or with terrorists?
A “Green Brigade” poster read “Liberate Palestine – Victory for the Resistance!” – and that in the home game against Kilmarnock on the evening of October 7th, a few hours after Hamas terrorists killed more than a thousand Israeli people. A green flag bore the words “Ultras Celtic” in Arabic script, which was a reference to the flag of the The flag of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) was also seen, which, like Hamas, is classified as a terrorist organization in Europe.
Flag of the PFLP (in red) at Celtic against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League
The club said it had been informed about flags and banners, “which refer to terrorist organizations involved in or associated with the conflict in the Middle East“. This be “completely unacceptable“. Celtic generally tried to minimize the issue and called for Palestinian flags to be stopped, but the Green Brigade then handed out exactly those flags at the next game.
Showing the flag of Palestine at a sporting event is “perfectly fine”said Alon Meyer, President of the Jewish Gymnastics and Sports Association “Maccabi Germany” the sports show. The limit has undoubtedly been exceeded, “If someone now wishes the Palestinians unconditional victory or posts ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’. That is not an expression of support for the Palestinian population, but that is definitely the thought in the background or at least the support of them Movement to build a great Palestinian empire there in the Middle East, without Israel, without the Jews.”
“Green Brigade”: “We are on the right side of history”
The group itself commented in a statement. In it she criticized the exclusion as a collective punishment, without investigations, evidence or the opportunity to be heard. “While we are away from the games, we call on all fans everywhere to wave the Palestinian flag.”
On the Arabic TV channel Al-Jazeera, the group added: “We are not ashamed and we are unequivocal in our support for Palestine. This will continue“You stand up”the right side of history“, the group is quoted as saying. “Celtic Trust”, a larger fan alliance, called for the measures to be withdrawn and criticized the justification, which also referred to pyrotechnics and other offenses. “It is absolutely clear that the club only cares about the Palestinian flags.” A period for the suspension of season tickets is not known.
Israeli Celtic player in conflict
Nir Bitton from Israel played for Celtic for a long time and was at times the target of anti-Semitic insults. In a post on Instagram, he accused the group “Green Brigade” of being “Brainwashing” and that she was biased.
Liel Abada, an Israeli international, is also currently playing at Celtic. Israel’s national coach Alon Hazan criticized Celtic’s ultra group when asked about Abada’s situation as “anti-Semitic“, Teammates from the national team have long recommended that Abada change clubs.