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A video from Monday’s Iran-New Zealand World Cup game at SoFi Stadium outside of Los Angeles appeared to show a man’s Israeli flag getting confiscated, while adjacent Palestinian flags were able to remain in the stands.
The Instagram reel, posted by @blackandjewishunity, showed a man, who later identified himself to Fox News Digital as Rony, with an Israeli flag draped over his shoulders approached by two members of Apex Private Security at the stadium. One staff member said that “the house, which is the facility here, is asking to remove this flag” for Rony’s “safety.”
“Why can’t you remove that flag?” Rony asked, pointing to a Palestinian flag just two rows behind him. “You guys aren’t removing this flag but you guys are removing my flag?
“It seems like a little antisemitism is playing a part here.”
Rony told security that if the Palestinian flag were removed, he would remove his Israeli flag. Another staff member said if Rony did not give up his Israeli flag, he would have to leave the stadium.
The second staff member said it was the “call” of apparent nearby FIFA employees to have the Israeli flag removed, while he and Rony both had their hands on the flag.
“I don’t make the rules… I’m just doing what I’m told,” the staffer said, adding that Rony would be able to get the flag back at a later time.
Later on in the video, a female Apex security member said, “The only flags that are allowed to be out are the teams that are playing.” When she was notified that the Palestinian flag was not confiscated, she responded, “Oh, I don’t know.”
Neither Israel nor the Palestine men’s national team are in the World Cup. Only Israel has qualified in each team’s history, back in 1970.
When Rony attempted to get his flag back, he approached a first responder and said that security said they would give him his flag back. The first responder answered, “No they didn’t. FIFA took it.”
Representatives for FIFA and SoFi Stadium did not immediately respond to emails from Fox News Digital. The Los Angeles Host Committee deferred Fox News Digital to FIFA.
Rony told Fox News Digital he is a Los Angeles resident who surprised his father with World Cup tickets as “avid” soccer fans. Rony said he is rooting for Team USA and wants to attend a USA game at SoFi Stadium.
“We love our boys,” Rony said.
Rony said that he did not expect backlash from fans aside from the usual “bad apples giving us a hard time.”
“Even when we came into the stadium, we didn’t have any problems with anyone…We were actually getting a lot of love and support. I was not expecting this outcome whatsoever,” Rony said.
IRAN WORLD CUP TEAM FORCED TO LEAVE US AFTER TOURNAMENT OPENER IN APPARENT CHANGE OF PLANS
Rony said he was told that staff was “pointing at me and singled me out” in a sold-out stadium.
“I saw flags from all around the world. There’s flags from Lebanon, Mexico, everywhere, from all walks of the world, there’s flags. So it took me by surprise that they were doing that to me and singling me out.”
Rony said he was also told by security that the “head of FIFA didn’t care about” the Palestinian flag behind him, “and they only cared about my flag in particular.”
“They said they don’t have a problem with their flags, and they only have an issue with ours,” Rony said, citing a double standard. “They had no marching orders in order to take their flag, or anyone else’s flag. It was pretty embarrassing…
“We thought we lived in America in 2026, not Nazi Germany in the 30s.”
Rony did mention that most of the stadium staff and security were “apologetic and on my side” and even “distraught myself.”
“We’re just proud, Israeli Jews who are just out there, just like everybody else, looking to have a good time and represent our country,” Rony said.
Getty Images captured photos of a Palestinian flag at both the Brazil-Morocco and France-Senegal matches on Saturday and Tuesday, both of which took place at MetLife Stadium.
FIFA rule 4.2.23 states that World Cup attendees must only use flags “in a festive and friendly manner,” and “upon the request of the Event Organisers, Ticket Holders must immediately remove, stop demonstrating and/or permit the confiscation of any flags, banners or poster.” FIFA also prohibits “materials” that are of “political…nature.” A Los Angeles judge upheld FIFA’s ban on Iran’s “lion and sun” flag that was used up until 1980, following the Islamic Revolution.
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Many Israel flags were spotted throughout the Iran-New Zealand game amid the war between the two Middle Eastern countries. Iran’s next game will be on Sunday, also at SoFi Stadium, against Belgium.
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