A teenage girl wearing a jersey featuring the Palestinian flag was denied entry to an A-League match at Sydney's Allianz Stadium. A video captured the moment when security personnel informed her that she needed to remove the jersey if she wanted to enter the venue.
The 15-year-old, named Ella Ajaje and of Palestinian Australian descent, sported a jersey from Club Deportivo Palestino, a Chilean football team established by Palestinian immigrants. The front of her shirt prominently displayed the word "Palestine."
As Ella approached the stadium shortly after 4:30 PM on a Sunday, a security guard stopped her, citing her shirt as the reason for her exclusion, specifically mentioning "the fact it’s got Palestine." Ella expressed her distress over the situation, stating, "It feels really upsetting to be asked to take it off. It’s sad you can’t represent your culture. The rule was only applying to me because I was wearing ‘Palestine’ [flag colors]. With everything that is happening with Palestine, it’s so sad to see how heartless people can be."
Ella's uncle, Rumzi Hajaj, recorded part of this episode, and in the footage shared with Guardian Australia, the guard could be heard saying, "It’s not the dress code. It’s the fact it’s got Palestine." Another moment captured included the guard asserting, "We don’t allow countries in here other than Australia," while addressing another individual who had intervened. He further claimed, "that’s been that policy for years, so we don’t have fights between Croatia, Serbia..." before being interrupted.
Eventually, a second security officer told Hajaj’s niece that she could enter if she removed her jersey. Ella complied and took off the shirt to gain entry for the match between Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC. Once inside, she put her jersey back on without facing any additional issues from security personnel.
The Australian Professional Leagues, which oversees the A-League, stated that they are currently in discussions with the venue regarding this incident, emphasizing their pride in having a diverse fanbase. CEO Steve Rosich mentioned, "We have a 'restricted items' list as part of our terms of admission, which are prohibited by law and are not permitted by venues across the country. We understand that venue security still deemed the item in this matter to be restricted – which we are discussing separately with the venue – but the young fan was ultimately permitted to enter the stadium after removing the item."
Security measures at the match are managed by the venue according to the stadium's admission policies and those of the A-League. The government body Venues NSW, responsible for operating Allianz Stadium, has been approached for comments regarding this situation.
Ella noted that there were other fans entering the stadium wearing jerseys that displayed different national flags. She pointed out that her brother, who wore a Portugal jersey, was allowed in without any issues.
Hajaj, who was among eight family members attending the A-League Men’s match, filmed part of the confrontation at the entrance. He recounted feeling disheartened as a security guard informed his niece that her jersey was not permitted for entry. "I was demoralised," Hajaj remarked.
According to Allianz Stadium’s entry conditions, patrons, staff, and visitors are prohibited from wearing or displaying any unauthorized commercial logos, political statements, or offensive signage. The rules specifically state that any flags or banners containing text or imagery deemed offensive, discriminatory, political, or intimidating by Venues NSW are not allowed.
The A-League's admission requirements also state that signals, banners, or materials including clothing and flags that display "offensive or inappropriate content" or could "vilify a person, cause offense, or incite hatred or violence as determined by APL" are prohibited. Notably, neither set of regulations explicitly mentions a ban on flags from countries other than Australia.
In a reflection on past experiences, Hajaj noted that he had worn a hat featuring the Palestinian flag and the phrase "Free Palestine" multiple times over the past two years in the members’ area of Allianz Stadium. Remarkably, within minutes of settling into the members’ section, the family noticed a child wearing a Lionel Messi jersey in Argentina’s national colors.
