Celtic fans raise more than £100,000 for Palestinian charities after flag protest
The fans launched an online charity campaign to match an impending Uefa fine the club faces for displaying Palestinian flags at a Champions League match against an Israeli team
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Your support makes all the difference.Celtic fans have raised more than £100,000 for two Palestine-based charities after the club was charged for displaying Palestinian flags during last week’s Champions League fixture against Israeli side Hapoel Be'er Sheva.
Uefa have fined the club over an “illicit banner” display after the home crowd waved the flags around Celtic Park during the Wednesday night match.
In response to the disciplinary action, Celtic fans launched a “#matchthefineforpalestine” campaign to raise funds for two charities.
The Green Brigade group of supporters set up an appeal on the Go Fund Me website on Sunday to match the anticipated fine, and donations had already passed the £100,000 mark by early Tuesday afternoon.
The fans are raising money for Medical Aid Palestine, which delivers health and medical care to those “worst affected by conflict, occupation and displacement”, and the Lajee Centre, a cultural and sports project for children in Aida refugee camp, in Bethlehem.
In the online statement, the fans stated: "At the Champions League match with Hapoel Beer Sheva on 17 August 2016, the Green Brigade and fans throughout Celtic Park flew the flag for Palestine.
"This act of solidarity has earned Celtic respect and acclaim throughout the world. It has also attracted a disciplinary charge from Uefa, which deems the Palestinian flag to be an 'illicit banner'.
"In response to this petty and politically partisan act by European football's governing body we are determined to make a positive contribution to the game and today launch a campaign to #matchthefineforpalestine.
"We aim to raise £75,000 which will be split equally between Medical Aid Palestine and the Lajee Centre.”
The statement said the money raised would help buy football kit and equipment to enable the refugee camp to have a team, which would be called Aida Celtic, in the Bethlehem youth league.
Celtic face their ninth Uefa punishment for supporter behaviour in five years. Two years ago the club was fined more than £15,000 after a Palestinian flag was displayed at a Champions League qualifier against KR Reykjavik.
Uefa rules forbid the use of “gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit any message that is not fit for a sports event, particularly messages that are of a political, ideological, religious, offensive or provocative nature”.
The club’s case will be heard on 22 September.
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