‘Oh we are saying is give peace a chance,’ John Lennon
Celtic today contacted every season ticket holder to explain the club’s position on terrible situation that has unfolded in the Holy Land in recent weeks and have also made a significant donation – The Celtic Star understand this to be tens of thousands of pounds – to the International Committee of the Red Cross to support people affected by the humanitarian crisis in the region. And Celtic have also asked for supporters attending the game tonight not to display banners, flags and symbols relating to the conflict in the Holy Land.
Celtic have sent the following message to every season ticket holder ahead of this evening’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid at Celtic Park. And this message carries a request to the Celtic support NOT to display national flags or symbols relating to the current conflict and those countries involved at Celtic Park this evening.
“We ask that banners, flags and symbols relating to the conflict and those countries involved in it are not displayed at Celtic Park at this time,” Celtic FC.
The Celtic communique reads as follows:
“Thank you for your support. We have witnessed death, violence and destruction in the Holy Land in recent weeks, with thousands of people – men, women and children – killed, injured and displaced. We are witnessing a tragedy of horrendous scale. As it continues, everyone at Celtic prays for all who have been affected. We also hope and pray for peace, and for humanitarian support to reach those who are in need and in fear. Many of our colleagues, supporters, friends and families have been affected by these events.
“Against this backdrop of conflict and pain, sport can promote peace and demonstrate humanity and empathy for all who continue to suffer. For the Club’s UEFA Champions League match against Atletico Madrid this evening, Celtic and Atletico Madrid players and coaching staff will wear black armbands, as a show of respect and support for all those affected by the conflict. The Club is also making a contribution to the International Committee of the Red Cross to support people affected by the humanitarian crisis in the region.
“The Club recognises that our supporters hold personal views to which everyone is entitled. As a club open to all, we all belong at Celtic Park. Celtic Park is where we come to support our football club. Recognising this, respecting the gravity of the tragedy unfolding and its impact on communities in Scotland and across the world, and in line with other clubs, leagues and associations, we ask that banners, flags and symbols relating to the conflict and those countries involved in it are not displayed at Celtic Park at this time.
“As we approach this crucial fixture, as ever, we sincerely thank our fans for their positive support of the players and the team.
“We thank you very much for your continued support of Celtic Football Club.”
The Green Brigade are planning to distribute Palestine flags outside the ground this evening and in their own statement last night they ask for respect to be shown to those supporters who decide to hold aloft the flag of Palestine as well as those supporters who decide against participating in the Green Brigade’s demonstration of support.
Each Celtic supporter will have their own choice to make and in this household when discussing the matter last night there was no consensus with full support for the Palestinian people but also no wish to do anything to harm our football club. Many supporters may well be equally compromised by this and many could be swayed by the club’s message today but the chances of there being no flag display this evening would appear to be remote to say the least.
Cowardly drivel from the club and inaccuracies in the article. This may have been ‘unfolding’ over the past few weeks for the Israeli civilians, this has been happening to innocent Palestinian men, women and children, daily for decades, and with many extra atrocities which are documented by trusted sources, not made up by Zionist supremacists and their facist allies, like baby beheading, German tourist rubbish etc etc etc. where has this concern been all these years???.
And you Jim have a conduit to the real truth of the situation? Or are you just imposing your own fascism : ‘Zionist supremacists’ could have been lifted straight from the ‘Volkischer Beobachter’. The green brigade don’t support Celtic they are intent on destroying Celtic through commitment to their own activism. Any Celtic supporter that doesn’t refuse your flag tonight is culpable in visiting harm on the club, that’s an indisputable fact irrespective of the views on the tragic situation in the Holy Land. Politics should be kept out of football, I want the focus to be on beating a scum bag side that I witnessed kicking us off the park 50 years ago.The fact that Simeone and co are not only not apologizing for that team’s thuggery but choosing to honor it , beggars belief. If the actions of the GB tonight result in Celtic being subjected to a ban or stadium closure then I trust the Board will cancel the season ticket of everyone in that North Corner, long past due. I’ve been watching my team since 1963 and for the majority of the time we managed just fine without these activists.
Celtic fans have always supported the oppressed people so I doubt tonight will be any different. Nelson Mandela was called a terrorist by the West, the very same people who fawned over him when he was released and worse still attended his funeral. The innocent men women and children in Gaza are being slaughtered morning noon and night. Protests of support have been held all over the world on the streets at football and other sporting events without all this handwringing. As we are supporting the team tonight it seems certain that 130 newborn babies and those bombed are in incubators along with 140 adults in ICU whose lives are dependant on electricity will have that lifeline cut off. To lose 6000 people in such a short space of time is beyond belief. The Palestinians believe the West has deserted them, flying flags shows them our leaders dont speak for us and we do support them in this current genocide. UEFA had no.problems with Ukraine flags being flown and many stadiums had their national flags on full view. Palestine is no different. Its a personal choice to hold a flag or not. I chose to do so. If UEFA take action then there’s not just hypocrisy but racism at play. Support the nice white people in Ukraine but look the other way when it’s brown skinned people suffering. Celtic need to remember we are a Club for all.
Hi Jim
Hope you enjoy the game tonight and our team are on end of a interesting Win
I’m more interested in having a bet on big CCV at 33/1 first goalscorer
I also dont understand your Facist comments
Anyway to live is to Change and to change often is to live
Lets not Destroy what we have and the Celtic fc future is successful
Never have I known or heard of such a dilemma facing the Celtic support tonight?
Our support is known for its unity worldwide and unrivalled in our support, but what a challenge awaits for that mantra tonight?
So what is tonight going to be about before kick off?
A political rally v A CL match
The GB v The Celtic board
A ridiculous situation has arisen now, and fear the backlash could potentially be upon a massive scale for the club and support alike.
I personally wouldn’t wave the Palestine flag at Celtic Park quite simply because I wouldn’t want it to be viewed as support towards hamas whatsoever.
Would respect the club upon there views upon a current situation that has nothing to do with Celtic football club whatsoever.
Also feel it undermines all the great work the “Celtic Foundation” has carried out in the name of Celtic also.
Wouldn’t show support towards a shower of gobshites who are more intent on self importance than those of our football club either.
Especially when there nowhere near as important as they like to try and protray themselves as
All that can be won tonight is 3 vital points in our CL campaign, yet feels like we stand to lose far more, which has never been the Celtic way, yet tonight stands to be tested like never before, which remains a huge shame to myself anyway
Yes we are a club for all and that should include Jewish fans also.
Two wrongs don’t make a right and the fact that Israel has committed atrocities in Palestine does not justify the murder of over 1400 Israelis, some who were children, what had those kids done to deserve their deaths, about as much as those poor Palestinian kids who are now being slaughtered.
This flag display does nothing to help those poor people in Gaza, or do you think for one minute that Netanyahu, Biden and Herzog will have a crisis of conscience when watching the game tonight (sarcasm) or that those poor people in Gaza cowering in fear in their ruined homes needing food and medicine are going to be interested in what club’s fan’s waived a flag, fecking grow up.
All the flag display will do is polarise our support and cause more damage to Celtic, but then again, this as usual is all about the Green Brigade getting their 5 minutes of fame.
You do know that HAMAS are as much to blame for this current terrible situation in Gaza as the Israelis are, their attack on Israel was done to do one thing and one thing only, to provoke the situation we now see in Gaza, they didn’t hit military targets or take out Government sites, they attacked civilians as they wanted this reaction.
HAMAS don’t want a solution to the Israel/Palestine issue as their end goal is the destruction of the State of Israel and they have stated that many times over, they also have close ties with that wonderful bastion of freedom Iran. They use the slaughter of their own people to advance their political aims and that is wrong, I doubt very much if HAMAS gave the ordinary people of GAZA the choice to decide whether the attack and the resultant retaliation was something they were happy with.
I have no qualms about supporting and showing support for the people of Gaza but as HAMAS are the government of Palestine then waving Palestinian flags is also showing support for HAMAS, I would have welcomed an option that showed our empathy for the people of Gaza without being associated with an organisation that is as responsible for the atrocious situation there as the Israelis are.
https://youtube.com/shorts/KmRbHHVLeg4?si=oMYZV5GpFi8MmRQN