Police commissioner requests ‘immediate review’ of decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans – live updates

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Image source, Getty Images

Pro-Palestinian protests have become such a common feature for Israeli teams playing in Europe – in just the last week there have been three examples in Norway, Italy and Spain.

Last Saturday there were 22 arrests near the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo after clashes before Israel’s World Cup qualifier against Norway. Reports say tear gas was used after several demonstrators broke through police barriers.

Ahead of the match, the head of Norway’s Football Federation had called for Israel to be suspended from international football.

Three evenings later the Israeli national team played their next qualifying tie against Italy in the northern city of Udine. An estimated 5,000 demonstrators marched before the game chanting that it should not have been played in the Stadio Friuli.

Security was tight and clashes with police broke out during the evening – again as some protesters tried to break through a cordon of riot police – and two journalists were hurt and a number of people were arrested.

Italy has seen some of the biggest pro-Palestinian protests in Europe, and workers went on strike earlier this month in many towns and cities.

But the protests have not been confined to football.

In Spain, where Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for Israel to be barred from international sport because of the Gaza war, 500 police were deployed ahead of Wednesday’s Euroleague basketball game between Valencia and Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Spanish reports said almost 1,000 protesters took part in a demo outside the Roig Arena and several people were arrested.