Violence between French and Israeli football fans has broken out at the Stade de France, despite a heavy police presence.
Footage from the stadium shows around 50 Israeli supporters hopping the barriers into the French supporters area, before being restrained by stewards.
Thousands of police have been deployed to the stadium in Paris tonight after protests in solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon engulfed parts of the French capital in the last 24 hours.
France play Israel in the UEFA Nations League, which is unfolding in front of a much-depleted crowd after supporters of both teams chose to boycott it after violence broke out at a Maccabi Tel Aviv game in Amsterdam last week.
Fans argue on stands during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Israel at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis (Picture: AP)
Grosses échauffourées en tribunes. Des supporters israéliens semblent avoir attaqués des supporters français. À suivre…. #FRAISR #France_Israel pic.twitter.com/keKFD3jbZE
— Thomas Rannou (@Thomas_Rannou_) November 14, 2024
Only around 20,000 of the 80,000 tickets on sale have been sold, and it is estimated only around 600 Israeli fans are in attendance.
Yet despite this a tense atmosphere remains in the stadium. The Israeli national anthem was loudly booed by some French supporters, and
Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters have gathered in central France around a mile away from the stadium to protest Israel’s war on Gaza. Wrapped up warm in red and white keffiyes, people have unfurled Palestinian flags to show their support.
At least 4,000 police officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed to the area as part of a range of security measures.
President Emmanuel Macron is one of the VIPs attending the event, despite fears that it will bring the same level of violence as in Amsterdam last week, when fans of the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv clashed with pro-Palestinian supporters.
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