the basketball match interrupted for several minutes by incidents in the stands

BASKETBALL – The Israeli-Palestinian conflict once again finds itself in a sporting arena. Like the recent match of the French football team against the Israeli selection in mid-November, incidents were feared this Wednesday, December 19 on the sidelines of the Champions League basketball match between Nanterre 92 and the Israeli team of Hapoel Holon.

Fears were justified since the meeting was briefly interrupted when a spectator came onto the floor brandishing a Palestinian flag, provoking strong reactions from Israeli supporters and scuffles in the public. Here is what we know about the incidents which disrupted this basketball match, against the backdrop of the war in Gaza.

· Match under close surveillance

Significant police forces had been called in as reinforcements to supervise this meeting, which the Nanterre town hall had asked to take place behind closed doors to avoid possible excesses, and citing the risk of “disturbance of public order”.

A decision ultimately rejected by the administrative court, leading the police to deploy 400 officials to secure the game at the Maurice-Thorez sports center in Nanterre, where 400 supporters were expected. The holding of this match also provoked calls for a boycott from pro-Palestinian activists.

· Intrusion on the floor

Things quickly escalated during the second act of this match. In question? The intrusion on the floor of a man brandishing a Palestinian flag. His appearance to denounce the war waged by Israel in Gaza immediately provoked the anger of certain Hapoel Holon supporters, who left their enclosure to rush in his direction, despite his very rapid interception by security.

The scene was filmed by spectators present, witnessing scuffles and acts of violence between spectators. Before the intervention of the CRS to separate the supporters of the two clubs.

A scene which obviously interrupted the meeting for several minutes, time to restore calm to the sports arena. According to the Hauts-de-Seine prefecture, the police made seven arrests, including that of the man who had entered the field.

According to the police headquarters cited by franceinfo, the interruption of the game took place “without returning players to the locker room”.

· More peaceful end to the match

The game finally resumed after a few minutes and was played “until its end without incident”according to the police headquarters. Nanterre won 87-77 in this Champions League match, the third European level of basketball.

As explained by an RMC Sport journalist present on site, the Israeli supporters were supervised by “ a double security cordon with riot shields to separate them from the rest of the public » until the final whistle. At the end of the meeting, Hapoel Holon supporters were escorted out of the room to ensure their safety.

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