Palestine solidarity was once again present at the Euroleague basketball match between the Basque team Baskonia and the highest sport representative of the state of Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv. A protest at the match was announced last Wednesday, and management of the Baskonia basketball responded by banning fans from entering the stadium with banners measuring over 1.5m. Police also imposed a ban on slogans calling for a boycott of Israel. The match between Baskonia and Maccabi Tel Aviv was marked by the political claims inside and outside the stadium.

Creativity was used to bypass bans imposed by the club. Baskonia fans made a giant “PALESTINA ASKATU” (freedom for Palestine) mosaic from dozens of legal sized banners arranged together. As well as cheers to support the local team, slogans in favor of Palestine were heard throughout the match and the white, black, red and green colors of the Palestinian flag were on display in the stands, especially in the zone reserved for Indar Baskonia supporters.

The protest was a collaboration between the BDS campaign, Indar Baskonia supporters, Iraultza 1921 collective and the Arab-islamic community in Gasteiz. These collectives handed out Palestinian flags and information leaflets before the match which explained both the reasons for the protest and ongoing attempts to silence them by police and Baskonia management over the last 10 years.

Last Wednesday, dozens of people gathered in a demonstration under the slogan “Maccabi Non Grato, Israeli Boikot”. In this protest, support was given to the workers of the CAF company in Beasain (Gipuzkoa). The workers’ committee of this company is currently lobbying against a bid by the company to participate in the construction of a new tramline in Jerusalem which “appropriates Palestinian territory and perpetuates the existence of illegal Israeli colonies.”

The Israel Boycott: A Legitimate Campaign

The BDS campaign has suffered repression on other occasions. “We have even been physically beaten for reporting Maccabi and Israel” reported one of the collective members. Balloons with Palestinian flags printed on them and even information leaflets outside the stadium have been banned at different matches. “The two times that we have invaded the court we have been fined. Interestingly, according to the sentences, the crime was not the court invasion but doing so with a Palestinian flag.”

On the 25^th of January, local councilors from the party EH Bildu presented a motion in the municipal council on behalf of BDS Gasteiz, Indar Baskonia, Iraultza 1921 and the Arab-islamic community of Gasteiz. The motion was blocked because of the negative votes of PP, PSE and PNV political parties.