LONDON – A rainbow flag showing support for the LGBTQ+ community has been moved to a new location inside Tottenham's stadium for the Champions League match against Sparta Prague following a request from the Czech team, Spurs said Tuesday.
The Progress Pride flag is constantly displayed in the north-east corner of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, close to the area of the ground which hosts away fans.
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For the match against Slavia, the flag is in the south-west corner of the stadium.
“The flag has been relocated at the request of the visiting team to UEFA on security grounds," Tottenham said.
The decision was criticized by Proud Lilywhites, Tottenham’s official LGBTQI+ supporters’ group, which said Slavia “raised concerns that some of their supporters may damage the flag and cause disorder if it remains in its usual location.”
“Let’s be honest about what this means," the group said. “The risk here isn’t the flag. It’s the reaction of a small number of opposition supporters. That’s disappointing, and it’s another reminder of the hostility LGBTQI+ fans still face across European football.”
Tottenham reportedly made representation to keep the flag in its original place but reluctantly accepted it should move due to safety grounds.
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