Hence, when the fans of Scottish champions Glasgow Celtic Football Club were instructed not to fly Palestinian flags during a match between their team and Israel’s Hapoel Beer-Sheva the outcome was fairly predictable; thousands of flags were waved by the crowd in defiance of the UEFA diktat.
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Dozens of Palestine flags were displayed during Celtic’s 5-2 first-leg win on Wednesday, many of them in the new safe standing section at Parkhead.
“In support of the Palestinians we Celtic fans invoke our democratic rights to display our opposition to Israeli Apartheid, settler – colonialism and countless massacres of the Palestinian people”, they added.
A statement on UEFA’s official website confirmed the “illicit banner” charges, which pertain to Article 16 (2) of the UEFA disciplinary regulations.
Just two years ago, Celtic were fined after Palestine flags were flown in a Champions League qualifier against KR Reykjavik.
It could hold the club accountable if it finds that Celtic was negligent and failed to do enough to stop inappropriate fan behaviour, including the “use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit any message that is not fit for a sports event, particularly messages that are of a political, ideological, religious, offensive or provocative nature”.
“The matter will be decided by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body when it meets on September 22, 2016”.
As I say, the sight of this mass resistance took me back to the lyrics in Dylan’s album, his third, which was ground-breaking in as much as it tackled poverty, racism and social issues and tried to prick the social conscience of the hedonistic 1960s. I have never been there.
“I have worked with a number of Israeli players and they are always respectful so I am looking forward to the game”.
The show of “solidarity” from the Hoops supporters came despite warnings from Police Scotland and the possibility of disciplinary proceedings.
‘I don’t know, ‘ he said.
“We will be distributing Palestine flags to those who will fly them”.
THE heroic actions of thousands of Celtic football supporters the other night reminded me of some wonderfully inspiring lyrics from Bob Dylan’s album The Times They Are a-Changin’.
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‘Whatever comes from that (UEFA case) will come outside of that.
