Spurs defend asking fans to remove Israel flag after FA allows Palestinian flags
Tottenham steward gave supporter ultimatum to put it away or be asked to leave, as Football Association confirms players and fans can display national flags in grounds.
Jack Mendel is the former Online Editor at the Jewish News.
Tottenham Hotspur has defended asking a fan to take down an Israel flag, days after the Football Association (FA) said players and supporters can display Palestinian flags.
In video footage which surfaced online, a steward told a supporter it was “not the time or the place for you to be using that flag”.
He gave the fan, Gabriel [surname withheld upon request], an ultimatum, saying: “You’ve got two options. You either put that flag away and it doesn’t come out again. The second options, is you’ll be asked to leave the stadium”.
The stadium official said “this is from the FA, I’m talking to the FA now”, and that a “safety officer” asked him to request the flag’s removal.
The FA told Jewish News this week it would not penalise Hamza Choudhury and Wesley Fofana of Leicester City, in addition to Paul Pogba and Amad Diallo of Manchester United, after they brandished Palestinian flags after fixtures this week.
It confirmed that it was not a breach of its rules for players or fans to display internationally recognised flags in the stadium – as they aren’t viewed as discriminatory, political, or religious.
The FA denied having been in contact with the steward at Spurs during the incident. It took place during a home fixture against Aston Villa.
Tottenham Hotspur FC told Jewish News: “The Club has always considered that a football match is a time to show allegiance to a football team first and foremost.
“A football match is not an appropriate arena to display flags of any political or religious affiliation or anything that could possibly be considered inflammatory – this can include national flags during times of political conflicts, campaigns or issues.”
Tottenham says it is investigating the incident internally.
Speaking to Jewish News, Gabriel, a Nottingham Trent student who attends Edgware District Reform Synagogue, said he felt “harassed by the number of stewards who confronted me and my family. Many of the fans around us were very supportive telling the stewards to leave us alone”.
Tottenham Hotspur has a historical link to London’s Jewish community, which led to some supporters calling themselves ‘Yids’. Fans say they are reclaiming the term and using it in a positive way.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
