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Scottish Football Association fined after fans booed Israeli national anthem

Scottish pro-Palestine demonstrators also protested outside the ground and held banner reading ‘Victory to the intifada’

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Scottish football authorities have been fined by Fifa after fans booed the Israeli national anthem during a World Cup qualifying game.

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) will have to pay over £8,000 for the disturbance and the inappropriate use of a flag.

While Fifa did not specify what flag this was, video footage shows one Tartan Army member waving a Palestinian flag during the game.

Pro-Palestine demonstrators outside the ground also held Palestinian flags and a banner reading “Zionism is racism. Victory to the intifada".

A month earlier the phrases “Palestinian blood” and “Free Gaza” were spraypainted on the stadium’s walls, reported Palestinian news agency WAFA.

The incident took place in October of this year at Scotland’s national stadium, Hampden Park, during a match won 3-2 by Scotland.

It was the first time the stadium had a full capacity since a game against England in June 2017.

The official report says the SFA was fined over a failure on “Order and security at matches (disturbance during national anthems, use of objects - flag - to transmit a message that is not appropriate for a sports event).”

In 2018 the SFA itself banned fans from bringing any flags other than those of Scotland and Israel to a match between the two sides in the Nations League.

Danish football authorities were also fined over £400 by Fifa after objects were thrown by Danish fans during their game against Israel.

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