Cheap Arsenal football jerseys kids has been criticized for not stopping a pro-Palestinian demonstration after Jewish fans said they felt threatened to leave before the Women’s Super League match against Tottenham last Sunday.
A supporter, who regularly attends the women’s games, said he felt “betrayed” by Arsenal after seeing the anti-Israeli demonstration outside the Emirates Stadium. The supporter decided to leave the stadium without entering and is likely to miss Wednesday night’s League Cup semi-final against Aston Villa at Boreham Wood.
Around 20 supporters chose not to enter because of the demonstration, which was triggered by Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Arsenal has been alerted to the anger of Jewish supporters, who believe their safety was compromised by the failure of security staff to contain the protest.
Questions have also been raised about how Palestinian flags and a banner calling on the WSL to end its sponsorship deal with Barclays, which has been targeted by pro-Palestinian activists because of links to Israel, were smuggled into the ground and displayed during the match, in breach of regulations. A banner reading “Kick Barclays Out” featured a Palestinian flag. Arsenal said it took swift action to confiscate the flags and those who did not cooperate with the stewards were ejected.
Supporters concerned about the demonstration, which was organized by Football For Palestine, had informed Arsenal of its existence before match day. Jewish fans say they were told that the club would try to keep the demonstration away from the supporters and that their safety was paramount. It was stressed that security guards would be on the lookout for political or inflammatory messages.
A Jewish supporter who arrived at the stadium more than two hours before kick-off told the Guardian that the demonstrators were already protesting outside the Clock End, near the statue of Thierry Henry. Bag checks and security checks are carried out at many locations before it is possible to go from the lower to the upper hall, where the turnstiles are located.
The supporter says that he repeatedly asked the security personnel nearby to ask the demonstrators to stop the demonstration but was told that no action could be taken. Cheap Arsenal football shirts ladies had assessed the size and nature of the protest before the match, worked with the Metropolitan Police and decided that the best course of action would be to contain it outside the Clock End. The aim was to prevent it from spreading and ensure there was no escalation. Arsenal said they could not stop the protest as the upper hall is public and not private property.
The protesters handed out flyers, put up stickers and tried to make contact with people arriving at the stadium. One banner, placed next to a Palestinian flag, read “Barclays has blood on its hands”. A sticker read “Anti-Zionist”. Several Jewish fans reported seeing a banner showing a map suggesting the destruction of Israel.
Jewish Gooners said that “a number” of its members and their families “felt unsafe” and “decided to return home without seeing a ball kicked”. It added: “Despite the various assurances from the club before the match, it appears that on this occasion it was not possible to ensure an inclusive environment for all football fans.”
In a statement he said Cheap Arsenal football shirts: “The safety of all supporters attending our matches is our top priority. Before Sunday’s match, we worked with the Metropolitan Police to ensure that there was a plan in place to minimize the impact of any demonstration.
“The gathering took place in a public place outside Emirates Stadium, and it is not within our jurisdiction to stop protests taking place in public places. The cases where prohibited items were identified inside the stadium were quickly dealt with by our security officers.”
Football For Palestine calls for an end to sponsorship deals with companies linked to Israel, the exclusion of Israel and Israeli clubs from FIFA and UEFA pending a permanent ceasefire and an “end to the illegal occupation of Palestine”, and for the Football Association to allow demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine.