An Arsenal fan has criticised the club after her football shirt featuring the Palestinian flag was confiscated by staff at an Emirates Stadium match, leaving her in only a see-through lace top.
The fan was denied entry to the stadium by a staff member and two police officers at an Arsenal Women versus Brighton & Hove Albion fixture on 12 October. Writing on X under the handle @twentyeightfcs, she said she was told to leave or remove the shirt, despite informing staff that her clothing underneath was see-through.
She added: “The staff showed little understanding for my discomfort… they refused to provide any replacement clothing as it wasn’t their responsibility and that it was my fault for knowingly wearing a Palestine shirt.”
An article in the News section of Arsenal’s website states that, for safety reasons, supporters are not permitted to bring Palestinian or Israeli flags into the stadium, in accordance with Premier League-wide guidelines from October 2023.
However, the website’s list of prohibited items which cannot be brought into Emirates stadium does not mention Palestinian flags and the ban is not directly referenced on their Matchday Guide or ticket emails.
The fan told IslingtonNow she had no knowledge of any shirt ban, adding “[the staff] told us it was on their ticket email, so my friend looked and there was nothing.”
She said wearing the shirt meant “taking a stand for what I believe in and showing support in a public way… especially in the face of the sacking of their previous employee.”
Arsenal has faced legal action for the alleged unfair dismissal of their former kit-man, Mark Bonnick, after he posted in support of Palestine on social media.
“It was an uncomfortable match” the fan said ““If I didn’t wear the lace long sleeve beneath, I’d be in my bra and only my bra. It was incredibly dehumanising.”
She said her discomfort continued following her post on X as she received an onslaught of online abuse, “the amount of hate directed to me was sickening… it was a harsh reality check of how people still perceived Palestine.
“It particularly upset me to see the lack of support from the club in the face of the abuse I received from their supporters… I have heard nothing from the club or stadium.”
Arsenal were approached for a comment but had not replied by time of publication and have made no official statements regarding the incident.
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