Spanish soccer star Lamine Yamal was hailed as a “very brave boy” after waving a Palestinian flag at Barcelona’s open-top bus parade after winning La Liga.
The 18-year-old held up a large Palestinian flag and waved it as the newly crowned Spanish champions interacted with thousands of Barça fans lined up in the streets in the Catalan capital on Monday, hours after El Clasico’s 2-0 victory over Real Madrid clinched their second successive La Liga title.
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Yamal, who looked relaxed as he stood along the rail on the right side of the bus, missed Sunday’s game due to injury, but joined his teammates in the champion parade the next day.
A video clip of his apparent act in support of the Palestinian people quickly went viral on social media, with soccer fans, experts, activists and players praising the teenage icon.
“It may seem like a simple act to some, but here in Gaza it touches the heart in a way that words cannot express,” writes Muhamed Akram, a Palestinian student living in Gaza.
“Thank you, Lamine Yamal. Gaza loves you more than you know.”
“Bravo Lamine Yamal”
The Palestinian flag has been flown by protesters and pro-Palestinian activists in hundreds of cities around the world over the past two and a half years. This is seen by many as an act of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who have faced the wrath of Israeli genocide since October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian organization Hamas attacked Israel.
Israel has killed more than 72,740 Palestinians since October 2023, 854 of whom were killed during the so-called “ceasefire” signed last October.
Although the frequency of pro-Palestinian protests has decreased since the ceasefire took effect, activists continue to display the Palestinian flag at large public gatherings such as sporting events and celebrations.
Yamal also used the huge celebration in Barcelona to show his support for Palestine, and some activists believe that with that act alone, more than many others, he helped raise awareness for the cause.
“If you have a platform, use it,” wrote Lebanese political activist and author Diab Abu Jadja. “Speak up when you have a voice. Bravo Lamine Yamal,” he added.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said he had spoken to Yamal about the incident.
“I spoke to him (Yamal) and told him: ‘If you want to do that, it’s your decision, you’re old enough,'” the German coach told the media on Tuesday.
After the celebrations, the Spanish forward posted on his Instagram account a photo of himself holding a Palestinian flag, as well as photos of others who took part in the event.
Yamal has 44.2 million followers on the social media platform, and his posts have been liked by 5.3 million users and shared more than 100,000 times.
Renowned Palestinian writer and poet Mosab Abu Toha commented on Yamal’s post: “We love you from Gaza.”
The Barça striker’s English teammate Marcus Rashford and Dutch footballer Anwar El Ghazi were also among the 166,000 people who commented on his post, which consisted of seven photos.
Gesture “underlines the bond between Catalonia and Palestine”
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, launched in 2005 to defend Palestinian rights and end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, also praised Yamal’s heroic act.
“Thank you for this act of humanity,” the movement’s Spanish-language account tweeted. “Sports have the power to visualize things that the world must not forget.”
Palestinian football expert Bashir Mikdadi said Yamal highlighted the true spirit of the Barcelona football club.
“Over the past 20 years, FC Barcelona has transformed into a highly commercialized organization,” he wrote in X. “First came the shirt sponsorship, then the stadium naming rights, then Palanca was born. Lamine Yamal is a true representation of the club and its fans.”
Meanwhile, many pro-Israel social media users attacked Yamal, claiming that he “should never wear the Spanish shirt” and that his actions alone were enough to prevent him from winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, despite his on-field performances for club and country.
But others praised him for standing up for the oppressed, regardless of the consequences.
“Lamine Yamal’s hoisting of the Palestinian flag is a powerful demonstration of solidarity and human dignity,” said Barcelona-based academic and activist Noys Torbisco Casals.
“This is a reminder that sport can also be a voice against genocide and oppression and in support of people’s freedom,” she continued in a lengthy post about X.
“A very brave Catalan boy who spoke out despite so much pressure to be silenced. These actions can be an inspiration to millions of people around the world.
“Many have emphasized the ties between Catalonia and Palestine because we share the same desire to exercise universal collective human rights: the right to self-determination, the right to preserve one’s identity, language, culture and to live free from domination inspired by colonialism or, in the case of Palestine, racial apartheid.
“True solidarity rejects all forms of domination and protects the equality and dignity of all people, not just nations. The struggle against oppression is universal. When people defend their freedom and dignity, they also speak for all people who resist injustice. Bravo Lamine.”
Yamal, a Muslim whose father immigrated to Spain from Morocco, has previously spoken out against racism and Islamophobia in Spanish football.
Last month, he issued a strong statement on his social media accounts condemning anti-Muslim fan chants heard during Spain’s friendly match against Egypt.
“I’m a Muslim. Yesterday I heard chants in the stadium saying, ‘He who doesn’t jump is a Muslim,'” he posted.
“I know I was playing on a rival team and it wasn’t anything personal to me, but as a Muslim this is still disrespectful and intolerable.”
Yamal has scored 30 goals in over 100 appearances for Barcelona, and six goals in 25 caps for his national team.
This incredible player has a wide fan following around the world, with many in Palestine, where the outpouring of love for his gesture continued for hours after the video clip was first published.
Haitham el-Masri, a Palestinian student from Gaza, wrote: “Only 14 seconds…but that was enough to bring me to tears.”
“It is a moment that will forever go down in history and will be remembered as one of the most profoundly human moments the world has witnessed,” he continued.
I can’t fully explain what we felt as we watched people have the courage to speak the truth and stand alongside those enduring one of the most horrific massacres in modern history.
Thank you to everyone who supported us, to everyone who spoke up for us, to everyone who refused silence and chose humanity instead.
You can’t imagine how much this love, this compassion, this unity means to us…the feeling that we still matter in this world.
From the center of Gaza…
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you for making us feel like we are not alone. ”
