CASABLANCA: In North Africa, where political speech is often tightly controlled, football stadiums have traditionally offered a rare space for free expression. Now, amidst the Gaza conflict, fans are utilizing this platform to show solidarity with the Palestinians.
As early as October 8 – the day after the outbreak of the Gaza war triggered by a Palestinian group’s attack on Israel – supporters of Raja Club Athletic in Casablanca resurrected an old chant.
The song, which has resonated across the Arab world, laments, “You for whom my heart is saddened. Our tears have been flowing for years. Palestine, you, the most beautiful country, must resist.”
In Algiers, elaborate choreographed fan displays, known as tifos, have portrayed towering figures adorned with the traditional keffiyeh scarf, symbolizing solidarity with the Palestinian cause and calls for a “free Palestine.”
Abderrahim Bourkia, a Moroccan sociologist specializing in diehard “ultra” football fans, noted that “The Palestinian question unites everyone” in the region.
