Fights broke out at the France-Israel match in Paris despite heightened security measures

Fights broke out in the sparsely populated hall France–Israel matches at the Stade de France in Paris on Thursday night, despite an increased security presence inside and outside the stadium.

Footage on social media showed clashes between home and away fans in the stands, with one clip showing men carrying Israeli flags punching and kicking a man on the ground before stewards intervened. There were no reports of casualties or arrests.

Tensions were high before the match, with a heightened security operation at the stadium involving 4,000 police and 1,600 civilian security personnel as French authorities sought to avoid a repeat of the violent scenes during the Maccabi Tel Aviv match in Amsterdam last week.

Lines of police stretched more than a kilometer from the stadium, with barricades lining the streets and helicopters buzzing overhead.

Outside the Ring of Steel, hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists demonstrated to protest the game and the French government’s relationship with Israel. Another rally in Palestine on Wednesday saw clashes between protesters and police, who used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Just 13,000 tickets were sold the day before the game – reportedly the lowest attendance for any home match in the history of the French national team – with just 150 Israeli fans expected after the Israeli government warned citizens to stay away.

President Emmanuel Macron was among the crowd, which he said was an act of “fraternity and solidarity” with his two predecessors, Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.

Home fans booed Israel’s national anthem before the match. One fan displayed a Palestinian flag despite French authorities saying only French and Israeli flags would be allowed in the stadium.

Israeli fans sang songs in support of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and “free the hostages”, referring to Hamas prisoners in Gaza. Some were wearing IDF masks and shirts.

Despite the advice of the Israeli government, some Israelis with dual citizenship were in Paris with Betar, an international right-wing Zionist group. Betar’s social media channels posted images of members in the French capital holding baseball bats before a game.

This was reported by the spokesman i before the match: “We will still go to the game, definitely, and defend the rights of Jews in Europe.”

French fans who attended the game described the strange atmosphere. “Maybe today we will see more politics than sport,” said a Mathieu supporter, referring to the presence of three French presidents in the stands. “The atmosphere will definitely be different from the political context and what’s happening in the Middle East. We’ll see.”

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Thierry, who is Jewish, said he had little interest in football but bought a ticket after the violence in Amsterdam. “The only reason I’m here is to support the Jews in France,” he said.

A Palestinian protest in nearby Saint-Denis gathered several hundred supporters. One banner read “Don’t play with genocide,” echoing the activists’ demand not to accept Israel.

Roger, a writer and activist who took part in the protest, said the image of Betar activists with baseball bats was a common concern. “They are armed and there is a high probability of a clash,” he said.

He worried that the rival camps might clash with each other after the match. “The police are trying to prevent a new Amsterdam,” he said. “But there is a high risk that it could happen.”