A women’s football cup final between Clapton Community and Dulwich Hamlet Reserves was abandoned after stadium management objected to the display of Palestinian flags and a banner. The match, held at Maidstone United's Gallagher Stadium, was stopped after both sides' supporters were approached to remove their flags. Despite both teams declining to play behind closed doors, the ground was deemed unusable, resulting in the match being declared void after just 20 minutes. Clapton Community voiced their support for Palestinian rights, while Dulwich Hamlet officials expressed disappointment over the incident and defended their fans' peaceful conduct.
It is unclear why fans were allegedly asked to remove the Palestine flags and banners, leading to confusion and tension among the supporters.
Clapton CPC stated, 'Our players and supporters are united in their support and concern for Palestinians who are being bombed daily. Showing that support with a flag or banner is no reason to abandon a cup final.'
Dulwich Hamlet chairman Ben Clasper expressed disappointment, noting, 'We have seen no evidence that our fans have behaved in any way other than the peaceful and dignified manner that we would expect from them.'
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