Teenager Barred From Sydney A-League Match Over Palestinian Flag Jersey

A teenager wearing a football jersey containing the Palestinian flag was refused entry to an A-League match at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, with a video showing security asking her to remove it if she wanted to go inside. The 15-year-old girl was wearing the jersey of Club Deportivo Palestino – a Chilean football club founded by Palestinian migrants – which says “Palestine” on the front. As Ella Ajaje, a Palestinian Australian, attempted to enter the stadium just after 4.30pm on Sunday, a guard refused her entry, referring to her shirt and “the fact it’s got Palestine”. “It feels really upsetting to be asked to take it off,” Ella said. “It’s sad you can’t represent your culture. The rule was only applying to me because I was wearing ‘Palestine’ [flag colours].” “With everything that is happening with Palestine, it’s so sad to see how heartless people can be.” Her uncle, Rumzi Hajaj, recorded part of the incident, and in the video seen by Guardian Australia, the guard could be heard saying: “It’s not the dress code. It’s the fact it’s got Palestine.” “We don’t allow countries in here other than Australia,” the guard could be heard telling another man who intervened. The guard could also be heard saying “that’s been that policy for years, so we don’t have fights between Croatia, Serbia …” before being interrupted. A second security guard later told Hajaj’s niece she could enter the stadium if she agreed to remove her jersey. She agreed, and took off the shirt before entering the stadium for the Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC match. She later put the jersey back on and had no other trouble with security. The Australian Professional Leagues, which operates the A-League, said it was currently discussing the incident with the venue and takes “pride in our multicultural fanbase”. Its chief executive, Steve Rosich, said it had “a ‘restricted items’ list as part of our terms of admission which are prohibited by law and are not permitted by venues across the country”. “We understand that venue security still deemed the item in this matter to be restricted – which we are discussing separately with the venue – but the young fan was ultimately permitted to enter the stadium after removing the item,” Rosich said in a statement. Sign up: AU Breaking News email Security at the match is managed by the venue in accordance with the stadium and A-League’s admission of entry. Government agency Venues NSW, which operates Allianz Stadium, has been contacted for comment. Fan says others displayed national flags on jerseys Ella said she saw other fans wearing jerseys displaying other country’s flags who were walking into the stadium. Her brother, who was standing next to her, was wearing a Portugal jersey and was not stopped as he walked in, she said. Hajaj was among the group of eight family members who came to watch the A-League Men’s match and recorded part of the encounter at the gates. He said as the group approached the turnstiles at the members’ entry, a security guard told his niece she could not enter while wearing the jersey. “I was demoralised,” Hajaj said. Allianz Stadium’s entry conditions say patrons, staff and visitors are “not permitted to wear or otherwise display any unauthorised commercial (ambush marketing), political or other offensive logos or signage”. The conditions say it prohibits “any flags or banners which contain text or images which Venues NSW considers to be offensive, discriminatory, political or intimidating in nature”. The A-League’s terms of admission state that signals, banners or materials (including clothes and flags) that display “offensive or inappropriate content” or that may “vilify a person, cause offence or incite hatred or violence as determined by APL” is not permitted. Neither policy contains reference to a ban on flags of countries other than Australia. Hajaj said he had worn a hat depicting the Palestinian flag and the words “Free Palestine” about a dozen times over the past two years in the Allianz Stadium members’ area. He said within minutes of sitting down in the members’ area, the group spotted a child wearing a Lionel Messi jersey in the Argentinian flag colours.