Forest Green Rovers supporters at Boreham Wood FC on Saturday said they faced chanting directed at their club’s owner Dale Vince, with some home fans displaying Israeli flags.
According to fan reports, a group in the East Stand displayed flags and directed chants at Vince, who was not in attendance. The incident occurred in front of families, including children. Police were informed and were present in the away section, documenting the incident.
One visiting fan, who asked not to be named, said: “We arrived about 45 minutes before kick-off and we had a group of children with us. I was horrified at what appeared to be a political demonstration from fans in the club’s east stand. A sizeable group were waving the Israeli flag and the Union Jack with the Star of David on it, shouting and chanting at us about our club’s owner.”
The fan added: “The home fans’ chant foul and abusive language that was directed to Dale Vince, which led me to speak with police present in the away end, and I was advised that the behaviour was a breach of the law. There was no subsequent obvious intervention, but police were filming the incident at the end of the game.”
He further commented: “We spend money and time following our club and we expect confrontation and drama on the pitch, but it seems that our club’s stance against the genocide in Gaza – and our owner’s determination not to be bullied and shouted down – touched a nerve here. This was clearly a premeditated protest and I am dismayed that this club effectively provided a platform for such offensive behaviour.”
A formal complaint regarding the incident has been made by the fan to Boreham Wood FC.
The Football Association’s guidelines advise non-league clubs to discourage fans from bringing flags or symbols of a political, religious, or personal nature into stadiums. Premier League guidance similarly advises against the display of Israeli and Palestinian flags to prevent politically charged incidents.
