Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old Barcelona forward, waves a Palestinian flag during his team’s La Liga title celebrations in Barcelona. Multiple outlets report that Yamal hoists the flag from an open-top bus during a parade attended by tens of thousands of fans. Barcelona sealed the title by defeating Real Madrid 2-0 on Sunday, and the celebration continues on Monday with a citywide procession. Several reports state that Yamal also shares posts related to the gesture on social media.
Some coverage focuses on reaction to the flag waving. Courthouse News and other outlets say an Israeli minister criticizes Yamal for the gesture, and The Canary reports that Israeli media and politicians express outrage. Euronews reports that Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, says he does not like such gestures but adds that Yamal is old enough to make his own decisions. Yamal is also described as set to represent Spain at the next World Cup in North America. Overall, the incident centers on a public display during a major football victory and the political responses it draws.
