Real Madrid Fans Wave Ceuta Flags in Champions League Opener Protest
Fans at the Santiago Bernabeu waved thousands of Ceuta and Spanish flags before Real Madrid faced Inter, protesting amid tensions over migration.
An unusual scene took place on Tuesday evening at the Santiago Bernabeu, minutes before Real Madrid and Inter stepped onto the pitch for their Champions League opening match. Thousands of Ceuta flags, alongside Spanish flags, were waved in the ultra stand behind the southern goal, while the crowd chanted loudly: "Ceuta is not for sale, we defend Ceuta."
COPE network also described the "impressive sight" from the stadium. A network reporter said during the broadcast that the entire section behind the goal filled up with flags and cardboard placards associated with Ceuta, while fans sang in its defense.
The gesture came against the backdrop of a tense period for the Spanish enclave city in North Africa and amid growing protests in Spain against the government of Pedro Sanchez. According to Mundo Deportivo, more than 70,000 migrants from Morocco crossed the border during the month of July, and the events in Ceuta have become a prominent public issue in Spain in recent weeks.
Notably, the event occurred just a day after Real Madrid published an official clarification following reports on social media and in some media outlets claiming that bringing Spanish flags into the Bernabeu had allegedly been banned. The club termed the claims "completely false" and clarified that all official flags of Spain are permitted in the stadium, including flags of autonomous communities as well as the flags of Ceuta and Melilla.
Following the chants and flag-waving, the same stand behind the goal displayed another tifo bearing the inscription: "I have a white heart, nothing will stop this passion," after which the focus shifted back to football and the intriguing clash against Inter.
