On an August evening in Glasgow last year, supporters of Celtic Football Club waved dozens of Palestinian flags during a Champions League playoff match against Israeli team Hapoel Be’er Sheva, garnering global attention.
The governing body of European football (soccer), UEFA, responded by fining Celtic for violating the sacrosanct — and many say highly selective — prohibition against mixing football and politics.
But the penalty only presented members of the Green Brigade, Celtic’s famously fanatical left-wing supporters, or “ultras”, with a chance to further oppose Israeli occupation while providing practical solidarity to Palestine.
They launched a “Match the Fine for Palestine” online fundraising campaign. Celtic supporters raised and donated more than US$210,000 divided between the Lajee cultural centre in the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem and the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians.
Read the full article by Eoin Wilson at Green Left Weekly.