Israeli fans attack activists carrying Palestinian flags during basketball match in France
Date
12/19/2024 2:29:01 AM
(MENAFN) A basketball game on Wednesday between the French team Nanterre and Israeli side Hapoel Holon was interrupted when a group of activists stormed the court waving Palestinian flags. The match took place in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris, and the footage circulating on social media showed the activists evading security and running into the stands. Israeli fans in the audience then reportedly assaulted the activists, and police intervened to separate the groups.
The controversy surrounding the match intensified due to legal and political factors. Earlier, the Administrative Court of Cergy-Pontoise had annulled a decision by the Nanterre Municipality to hold the game without spectators. The court ruling came after a demonstration planned by Palestinian supporters in Nanterre against the match was banned.
The disruption occurred in the context of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian groups, particularly Hamas, in Gaza. Israel has been conducting an extensive ground operation in northern Gaza since October 5, allegedly aimed at preventing Hamas from regrouping. However, Palestinians accuse Israel of trying to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.
The altercation during the basketball game highlights the deepening divisions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict, both in the region and abroad. As tensions rise, protests and demonstrations continue to erupt in various parts of the world, with people expressing solidarity with either side of the ongoing dispute.
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