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The repercussions of the Gaza war continue to reach football stadiums during matches involving Israeli teams.

Following clashes in the Netherlands last week during a match featuring Maccabi Tel Aviv, minor skirmishes broke out in Paris on Thursday during a Nations League match between France and Israel, attended by French President Emmanuel Macron.

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According to Agence France-Presse, “some French fans booed during the Israeli national anthem, and minor clashes erupted inside the Stade de France, where a limited number of spectators attended a game overshadowed by tensions surrounding the Gaza war.”

In an effort to prevent a repeat of the violence seen in Amsterdam last week during a Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ajax, around 4,000 law enforcement officers were deployed inside and outside the stadium, as well as on French public transportation.

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With many fans staying away due to security concerns, the attendance of 16,611 spectators marked the lowest turnout for the French national team at the Stade de France since its inauguration in 1998. The match ended in a goalless draw.

Before kickoff, some fans booed and whistled as the Israeli national anthem was played over the loudspeakers.

About 100 Israeli fans defied their government’s warning against traveling for sporting events, waving yellow balloons and chanting “Free the hostages,” referring to Israelis held by the Palestinian Hamas movement.

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During the game, individuals were seen running from the stands where fans waving Israeli flags were seated, but they were quickly controlled by stadium staff, who formed a barrier. The cause of the incident remains unclear.

Prior to the match, several hundred people gathered in a square in the Saint-Denis district of Paris, outside the security perimeter, waving Palestinian flags along with some Lebanese and Algerian flags, in protest against the match.

A banner displayed the message: “We don’t play with genocide,” referencing the Gaza war.

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Two Palestinian flags were raised near the end of the match in the southern section of the stadium.

Israel denies accusations of genocide in its ongoing offensive against Hamas, which has lasted for more than a year.

Macron’s Attendance

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau stated this week that there was no doubt the match would proceed as scheduled, despite the disturbances in Amsterdam, where clashes involved Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and local groups, according to Dutch police.

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He added that no specific threats had been identified before the match and that there were no significant risks.

French President Emmanuel Macron attended the game to show solidarity.

“We will not give in to anti-Semitism, whether in France or elsewhere. Violence and intimidation will never prevail,” Macron told BFMTV a few hours before kickoff.

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