Ireland-Qatar Friendly Halted Twice by Tennis-Ball Protest Over 2 Israel Games

10 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 29

Aviva Stadium officials stopped Ireland’s friendly against Qatar twice after fans in multiple upper-tier sections threw tennis balls onto the pitch during Thursday’s match in Dublin.
League of Ireland supporters later claimed responsibility, saying the action was meant to force cancellation of Ireland’s two Nations League fixtures against Israel and backing the demand with a #StopTheGame banner and pro-Palestinian chants.
The protest came a day after Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson urged supporters not to demonstrate and instead back the team, while a separate motion from player and fan groups and several clubs also pressed the FAI to refuse the matches.
Ireland is scheduled to play Israel on Sept. 27 at a neutral venue and again in Dublin on Oct. 4, extending soccer’s wider tensions over Israel that have already surfaced at FIFA events this month.

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