Paris Saint-Germain fans, the Boulogne Kop, unfurled a massive "Free Palestine" banner before their Champions League match against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
This comes a week before France faces Israel in Paris for a Nations League game.
The banner carried the bold message: "War on the pitch, but peace in the world," followed by a second message during the match that read, "Does a child's life in Gaza mean less than another?"
PSG quickly distanced itself from the banner, stating they were unaware of any plans to present such a message.
The club issued a statement emphasizing that the Parc des Princes should remain a place for fans to unite around their shared passion for football, and they firmly oppose "political messages" in the stadium.
The display sparked outrage from French officials, including Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who called it “unacceptable.”
Retailleau also hinted at the possibility of sanctions, telling Sud Radio, "I am not ruling out anything. I will demand explanations from PSG."
This act of protest comes amid heightened tension over the ongoing Israeli bombardments on Gaza, which has claimed more than 43,000 Palestinian lives and left more than 100,000 injured, according to figures from Gaza’s health ministry.
Last year, Celtic were fined 17,500 euros ($22,629) for allowing fans to wave Palestinian flags during a Champions League match, highlighting the growing intersection of sport and political expression in European football.
Next Thursday, France will host Israel at the Stade de France, with 80,000 fans expected.
Questions about security have already arisen, as France is home to Europe’s largest Jewish community and the largest Muslim population, further intensifying the significance of the upcoming match.
Safety concerns have been raised following a similar situation in Belgium, where the country’s football federation moved a match against Israel to Hungary due to security and logistical concerns.
Meanwhile, in Italy, a tight security presence was implemented for Israel’s match in Udine.
