Five Celtic supporters from Italy have been banned from Como’s stadium for eight years by the city’s police head for ‘provoking opposition fans’ by flying the Palestinian flag.
Last week’s Como Cup preseason tournament opener between Celtic and Ajax, who triumphed 5-1, was tainted by nasty altercations amongst the supporters of the Scottish champions.
Five Celtic supporters from the city of Lecco were banned from all Italian stadiums for a total of eight years after the Palestinian flag was waved.
This action was taken quickly by Como police commissioner Marco Calì. He also gave an explanation for his police force’s intervention.
“The Celtic supporters were banned for provocation, not the Palestinian flag itself,” he stated. “The stadium is a place with regulations, even with the highest regard for a people’s suffering. And it goes without saying that there are repercussions for breaking them.
The rules on what can be brought into a stadium during a football match include a strict ban on bringing symbols, banners, or flags with political overtones. This is because the stadium is a sporting venue.
“The central issue was their behaviour during the match. They came down from the stands and approached the Dutch fans, who were very calm, with the sole intent of provoking.
We must admit that their actions were unnecessary and provocative, and we cannot tolerate this since it could aggravate people.
“There are rules in the stadium. Additionally, these force the authorities to step in if political symbols—rather than football-related ones—are brought inside. However, I stress once more that the Palestinian flag was not the reason for the restrictions.
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