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Portland Timbers fans plan to protest after several fans have been banned from holding three Iron Front images in a match last weekend, a group of supporters said Thursday.
Timbers soldiers raised the flag in a match between the Timbers and Real Salt Lake. The banned supporters have been punished for violating the Major League Soccer Code of Conduct, which states that "by using (including on any visible sign or representation) political, threatening, abusive, insulting offensive, including racist, homophobic xenophobic, sexist or otherwise inappropriate language or behavior "is prohibited during matches.
A MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER CLUB PROHIBITS THE UTAH COUPLE FROM CUTTING OUT THE BETSY ROSS FLAG & # 39; AT GAMES
In response, Timbers' army announced that it would not wear the Timbers flag or smoke smoke to celebrate its goals in the club's match against Saturday's Sporting Kansas City.
"Our goal this weekend will be education," reads the statement. "We will use banners with words rather than symbols to remind the world of our unwavering opposition to fascism and discrimination. We will increase our written communication, both inside the stadium and online, about the reasons for our protest and the wider issues that the ban on the Iron Front flag represents. We will continue to fight for the League to lift the ban on individuals carrying flags and banners of the Iron Front on August 31st. "
Supporters said the Timbers officials agreed to meet with them about the bans and other issues they wanted to uncover, including "how to make sure the stadium and streets are safe and welcoming for groups." marginalized ".
THE SYMBOL ANTIFA "S" IRON FRONT "PROHIBITED BY THE MAJOR PORTLAND TIMBERS OF THE LEGUE SOCCER AND THE SOUNDERS OF SEATTLE
"We want to do something very clear: our fight is not a fight with the Portland Timbers," said the Timbers Army. "Our fight is being waged against white nationalists, white supremacists and others who seek to bring hatred and violence to our stadium, city, state and country. At this time of darkness, we feel compelled to come together to make the football community an inclusive place that the world does not represent for so many of our marginalized communities here in Portland. "
Major League Soccer has recently banned the Timbers and Seattle Sounders from using the Iron Front symbol, used by Antifa supporters, inside the stadiums.
In this photo of July 21, 2019, a sign saying "anti-racist still anti-racist against Seattle" is posted in the supporters section at an MLS football match between the Seattle Sounders and the Portland Timbers at Seattle. (AP Photo / Ted S. Warren)
MLS President and Vice-Commissioner Mark Abbott explained the reasoning behind the league's action last month.
"I think the league and clubs believed that fans are in our games to enjoy the game and that there is a place where third party organizations or political groups can express their views, but this place does not part of our priorities. " stadiums, "Abbott told The Associated Press.
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The symbol – consisting of three arrows pointing down and to the left – has been adopted by some supporters of Antifa. It was used in the 1930s by a German group opposed to the Nazis.
Dom Calicchio of Fox News contributed to this report.
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