As the 2018 World Cup frenzy starts to take over the news cycle, it is crucial to highlight examples of how the sport has brought people together. Michael Blosser writes that one example is the case of Celtic FC and Palestine, with the Glasgow-based club showing consistent solidarity with the Palestinian struggle.聽
Celtic FC
Fans of Glasgow鈥檚 Celtic football club showed their support for more than 1500 Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails, with large banners and Palestinian flags at Celtic鈥檚 May 6 football (soccer) match against fellow Scottish side St Johnstone FC.
Members of Celtic鈥檚 鈥渦ltras鈥 fan group, the聽, along with聽, lifted a huge Palestinian flag, as well as large banners with the slogans 鈥淔reedom and Dignity鈥 and 鈥淗ungering for Justice鈥.
On an August evening in Glasgow last year, supporters of Celtic Football Club waved聽聽during a Champions League playoff match against Israeli team Hapoel Be鈥檈r Sheva, garnering global attention.
Chanting 鈥淚 love Celtics鈥, Palestinians have released a video praising the fans of Scottish football team Celtic FC for 鈥渙ne of the biggest solidarity actions in European football history鈥. It came as Celtic fans raised more than 拢100,000 by August 23 for Medical Aid Palestine 鈥 who deliver health and medical care to those 鈥渨orse affected by conflict, occupation and displacement鈥 鈥 as well as to the Lajee Center for equipment to start a youth league, TeleSUR English said that day.
Celtic fans defy a UEFA ban and police threats to fly the Palestinian flag during against against an Israeli team.
During Glasgow-based football club Celtic FC's August 17 European Champions League qualifying fixture in Glasgow against Israeli club, Hapoel Beer Sheva of Israel, Celtic supporters defied an explicit UEFA ban to fly Palestinian flags in solidarity with Palestine's struggle for freedom.