Israel: whistles and scuffles during the match at the Stade de France

For this League of Nations match, deemed “high risk”, 4,000 police officers and more than 1,600 private security agents gathered this Thursday evening around the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, and in the capital.

The meeting between the France team and Israel this Thursday, November 14 opened in an almost ghost stadium shortly before 9 p.m. For this Nations League match, judged “high risk”4,000 police officers and more than 1,600 security agents were gathered around the Stade de France in Saint-Denis and in the capital, leaving the famous stadium esplanade almost empty 1h30 before the match. “Usually it’s full here”says Didier to the “New Obs”, a regular at Blues matches.

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Despite the numerous identity checks to access the stands, the tension is palpable but the atmosphere is very calm. In the stadium, the almost empty stands resonate a certain echo. Of the 80,000 seats at the Stade de France, fewer than 20,000 are occupied.

A few meters from the stadium, before the thick control barrier, pro-Palestinian demonstrators – 400 according to “l’Equipe” – gathered to protest against the holding of the match.

Shortly before the start of the match, when the lineups were announced, the Israeli players were lightly whistled in the stadium. The national anthem of the Jewish state, although broadcast at a powerful volume, was also whistled by certain parts of the Stade de France.

David and Gallit, in their forties, came as a couple to see the match. Surrounded by a French flag and a small poster in Israeli colors, the first explains his presence: “We are for both teams, it was symbolic for us to be there. After what happened in Amsterdam, we wanted to show that we were not afraid, it even strengthens us. »

If the Blues have their hands on the ball at the start of the match, each Israeli ball is whistled copiously. A sign that the tension is palpable – especially since everyone is mixed up which makes clashes easier – a fight breaks out in the stands between the supporters; the match is eclipsed for a moment. Dozens of supporters from both sides came to blows. Security is slow to arrive, before installing a cordon to block the two parties.

In the 22nd minute, many Israeli fans implored “free the hostages”. A supporter, blue jersey and Israeli flag, is indignant: “It’s politics, we shouldn’t bring that into a stadium, we’re not here for that!” »

“Good progress of the match”

Shortly before the match, French President Emmanuel Macron assured his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the “mobilization of France” for one “Good progress of the match” football. “France will remain intractable towards anti-Semitism, wherever it manifests”he reiterated.

Securing the match is a major issue as Europe faces a rise in racist and anti-Semitic acts since the start of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza in October 2023. On the night of 7 to 8 November, Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were chased and beaten in the streets of Amsterdam after a match against Ajax.

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These attacks, described as anti-Semitic in particular by Israel and the Dutch authorities, aroused indignation in many Western capitals, and launched a debate on the holding of the match this Thursday evening. The French authorities, however, have categorically ruled out giving up the match, or relocating it as Belgium did in September. “France is not backing down because that would amount to abdicating in the face of threats of violence and anti-Semitism”assured the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau.