Teams from France and Israel faced each other at the Stade de France; only 16,611 fans paid to go to the stadium
Some of the fans present at the , in Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, booed the Israeli anthem before the match between the Israeli team and the French team, on Thursday (14.Nov.2024). The game was valid for the Nations League and ended 0-0.
Videos circulating on social media show the beginning of the performance of the Israeli anthem. You can hear some boos and whistles. The match was also marked by the reduced number of fans: just 16,611. According to the news agency, it was the worst crowd in the history of the Stade de France for a French team game.
Watch the video (1min26s):
The Israeli National Anthem “Hatikvah” ahead of the Israel vs France game.
Such a beautiful yet solemn National Anthem.
Stay safe in France tonight Jews 💙🤍
🇫🇷 🇮🇱
— Kosher🎗🧡 (@koshercockney)
French authorities deployed a contingent of 4,000 security agents for the match between the two teams. The decision was motivated by fans of Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv last week, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The game was valid for the Europa League.
A Reuters also reported that around 100 Israeli fans went to the stadium. They screamed “free the hostages” during the playing of the country’s anthem, in references to the people who remain under the rule of the extremist group Hamas since the attacks on October 7, 2023.
On the other side, Palestinian flags were registered in the stands of the Stade de France. On social media, a video shows the moment in which some fans scream “Free Palestine”.
Watch the video (14s):
Another Palestinian flag is waved in the stands, the crowd cheers and congratulates this lady 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸
(Witness who sent me the video)
— Ilan Gabet (@Ilangabet)
MACRON NO STADE DE FRANCE
French President Emmanuel Macron watched the match from the stadium. He stated in an interview with the French broadcaster BFM TV before kickoff that the country would not give in to “anti-Semitism or violence”.
