Football

Hundreds of Pro-Palestine activists protest outside Hampden

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4 months ago

May 31, 2024

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Hundreds of Pro-Palestine activists protest outside Hampden

Pro-Palestine campaigners have staged a demonstration outside Hampden ahead of Scotland’s Women’s Euro 2025 qualifier against Israel.

The match is being played behind closed doors at the stadium in Glasgow following intelligence over “planned disruptions”.

They called out the governing body

They gathered with flags and bannersCredit: PA

They've staged a protest outside the ground — They’ve staged a protest outside the groundCredit: Getty

They produced replica coffinsCredit: Getty

Campaigners and charities including Show Israel the Red Card and Scottish Friends of Palestine held a protest outside the stadium on Friday calling for an immediate ceasefire.

They also hit out at the SFA’s decision to allow the game to go ahead, describing it as an attempt to “sportwash” Israel.

Demonstrators held small replica coffins and spread a banner which read “Ceasefire Now” on the ground outside Hampden on Friday.

They shouted “shame on you” as well as other pro-Palestine chants.

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The SFA said previously: “Due to updated intelligence and following extensive security consultations with all key parties, the Scottish FA regrets to confirm that the forthcoming qualifier between Scotland and Israel at Hampden Park on May 31 will now be played behind closed doors.

“The stadium operations team were alerted to the potential for planned disruptions to the match and as a consequence we have no option but to play the match without supporters in attendance.”

There was also a counter demonstration held in response from a pro-Israeli group.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 7.05pm on Friday evening at Hampden.

Scotland face Israel in Budapest in Hungary on June 4 in the return fixture.

Activists staged noisy protests yesterday afternoon and again this morning outside the team hotel of the Israel Women’s team ahead of tonight’s clash.

Protest organiser Maree Shepherd told Go Radio earlier: “We will be demonstrating outside Hampden, Obviously we can’t go inside so that is the best we can do.

“We want peace in the world, that is all we want. “We are not here to hurt anyone or intimidate anyone, we just want to stop the genocide.

“The SFA, Fifa, Uefa are staying silent on this and for us that just means they are totally complicit.

“Ideally we don’t want the game to go ahead – we want Israel to be isolated and boycotted.”