November 15th 2024.
As the final whistle blew at the UEFA Nations League match between France and Israel, the Israeli team made their way towards their supporters with smiles on their faces. It was a tense game, but they had managed to come out with a 0-0 draw against the French team, much to the delight of their fans.
But earlier in the day, things had been quite different. I had been caught up in a protest against the match, completely unaware of the chaos that would soon ensue. Various organizations, including the leftist Jewish movement Tsedek, had been calling for the game to be cancelled for days. The context of Israel's ongoing conflicts in the Middle East only added to the tension surrounding the match.
And after the clashes between Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and pro-Palestinian supporters in Amsterdam the week before, there were major safety concerns to be addressed as well. As I made my way closer to the Stade de France, where the game was to take place, I could see the special security measures that had been promised by the Paris authorities. Roads were cordoned off and cars were not allowed through, reminding me of the security measures taken during the 2024 Olympic Games.
After a brief argument with a police officer, my Uber dropped me off as close to the stadium as possible. I still had to walk for about 15-20 minutes to get there, but I wasn't alone. A few dozen people were making their way towards the stadium as well. As I arrived at the gates, I was searched three times and there was even a debate among the staff about whether my 50ml perfume bottle was allowed in.
Once inside the stadium, I could see that the French boycott of the event was in full force. Only about a sixth of the stadium was filled and entire rows of seats near the pitch were shut off to fans. Anti-intrusion grilles were raised and there were dozens of stewards keeping watch in case of any disturbances in the crowd. I found my seat in row 12, seat 16, surrounded by both French and Israeli fans.
To my right, the top stands were filled with supporters of Israel, proudly waving flags. But as the Israeli anthem began to play, there were whistles and boos from some in the crowd. And just 15 minutes into the game, I saw a group of about 100 Israeli supporters jump the barriers and enter an area filled with French fans. The tensions were high and the entire stadium turned to watch as fans wrapped in blue Star of David flags charged towards their rivals.
Thankfully, the stewards were quick to intervene and prevent any major incident from occurring. But for the rest of the game, two rows of ten stewards remained guarding the empty stands between the rival fans. Despite this, the Israeli supporters continued to wave yellow balloons and chant, "Free the Hostages" in reference to Israelis being held in Gaza by Hamas militants.
As the game ended in a draw, I made my way out of the stadium, mindful of potential clashes between fans outside. Rows of armed police guards stood firm, prepared to intervene if necessary. The crowd dispersed in different directions, with some Israeli fans even stopping to give interviews to French broadcasters.
As I made my way back to my hotel, I passed by Place de la République, a square in Paris where pro-Palestinian and Israeli protesters often clash. But today, it was empty. I let out a sigh of relief, grateful that the tensions had not escalated further. It had been a tense and chaotic day, but at least it ended on a somewhat peaceful note.
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