French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau took to X on Thursday to condemn the “Free Palestine” banner at the soccer match a day earlier.
“I ask PSG to explain itself and the clubs to ensure that politics does not come to damage sport, which must always remain a source of unity,” Retailleau wrote. “This tifo had no place in this stadium, and such messages are also prohibited by the regulations of the League and UEFA. If this were to happen again, we will have to consider banning tifos for clubs that do not enforce the rules.”
In an interview with Sud Radio following the match, Retailleau said the banner was “unacceptable.”
“I want to know more and now how this banner came to be unfurled. The Paris police chief (Laurent Nunez) explained what happened. We agreed on a certain number of things but I am demanding accountability,” he added.
PSG said in a statement on Wednesday night that it was not aware “of any plans to display such a message.”
“PSG emphasizes the Parc des Princes is — and must remain — a place of communion around a shared passion for football and firmly opposes any message of a political nature in the stadium,” the team said.
France has the largest Jewish community in Europe — and the third largest in the world, following the United States and Israel — but also the continent’s largest Muslim community.
