Paris Saint-Germain – France’s Interior Minister criticizes Palestine banner

The football supporters of French champions Paris Saint-Germain are once again at the center of criticism. Before the start of the home game in the Champions League on Wednesday against Atletico Madrid (1:2), fans in the Prinzenpark had a huge banner with the inscription “Free Palestine” and other features that can be interpreted as pro-Palestinian , spread out. “This banner has no place in this stadium,” said France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau via X and later described it as “unacceptable” in a radio interview. He called on PSG to “explain itself and the clubs to ensure that politics does not harm sport, which must always remain a source of unity.”

Retailleau also pointed out that such gestures were prohibited by both UEFA and the French Football Association. “If something like this happens again, we will have to consider banning banners from clubs that do not follow the rules,” he added. The club does not have to fear any consequences from UEFA for the time being, as a spokesman told the AFP news agency. There will be “no disciplinary case as the unfurled banner in this particular case cannot be viewed as provocative or offensive,” it said. The club asserted in a statement that those responsible “had no plan to spread such a message, been informed”. The banner was presented by the group Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP). The slogan “War on the square, but peace in the world” could be read underneath.

PSG supporters have become conspicuous again within a short period of time. Because of homophobic chants before the league game against Racing Strasbourg on October 20th, PSG had to close parts of a grandstand in the home game against RC Lens (1-0). There had already been a similar incident last season.