Jewish fan club criticizes Arsenal over anti-Israel rally outside London stadium

Some Jewish supporters of Arsenal are criticizing the English soccer team after a number of supporters decided to turn away from a match over the weekend, as they “felt unsafe” due to an anti-Israel demonstration held by pro-Palestinian protesters outside the squad’s Emirates Stadium in London.

According to The Guardian, around 20 fans are believed to have chosen not to attend the Women’s Super League game on Sunday between Arsenal and Tottenham after they saw the protest, which was organized by the pro-BDS group Football for Palestine, and feel the team put them at risk by not having security curb the rally.

The British newspaper quotes one fan who felt “betrayed” by Arsenal upon seeing the protest.

The Jewish Gooners fan club tells the daily “a number” of its members and their relatives “felt unsafe” and “decided to return home without seeing a ball being kicked.” The report says demonstrators distributed pamphlets, slapped up stickers — including one that said “Anti-Zionist” — and tried to interact with fans as they arrived.

“Despite the various assurances from the club in the run-up to the game, it seems that on this occasion it was not possible to ensure an inclusive environment for all football fans,” adds the group, which was formed last year to combat antisemitism.

Arsenal said in response that the protest was in a public area and therefore could not be restricted.

“The safety of all supporters attending our matches is our top priority. Prior to Sunday’s fixture, we worked with the Metropolitan Police to ensure there was a plan in place to keep the impact of any demonstration to a minimum,” it said. “Instances where prohibited items were identified inside the stadium were dealt with swiftly by our stewards.”