An anti-Israel demonstration took place on Wednesday night during the Champions League match in Istanbul between Galatasaray S.K. and Bodo/Glimt. Supporters of the Turkish champions staged an overtly political display, forming the Palestinian flag in the stands and unveiling a massive banner in English that read, “Stop the genocide.”
Galatasaray fans are known for their extreme political views, which have become increasingly vocal over the past two years, with frequent pro-Palestinian signs and choreographed displays. The Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt is also seen as having an anti-Israel stance. Last season, when the team faced Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Conference League, it donated all ticket proceeds from the match to Gaza.
In Wednesday’s game, Bodo/Glimt’s goalkeeper was Nikita Haikin, an Israeli-Russian who grew up in the youth academies of Bnei Yehuda and Hapoel Kfar Saba. Haikin joined the Norwegian side in March 2019 and has been a key part of its remarkable rise, which includes historic league titles and a Champions League debut.
Similar pro-Palestinian messages have appeared in several football stadiums across Spain in recent months. A comparable display was seen five months ago during the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in Bilbao, where a Palestinian flag was carried onto the field with the message: “Stop the genocide. European Union, don’t be complicit in the crime.”
Such acts are explicitly prohibited under UEFA regulations, which ban political messages at matches. Despite this, Galatasaray proudly shared an image of the banner on its official X (formerly Twitter) account. The club could now face disciplinary action from European football’s governing body.