Rangers Face UEFA Charges Over "Shameful" Anti-Woke Banner at Europa League Match
Rangers Football Club has condemned the display of an anti-woke banner by supporters during their Europa League victory over Fenerbahce as "shameful" and "embarrassing," as UEFA brings disciplinary charges against the Scottish club.
The controversial banner, which stated "Keep woke foreign ideologies out - defend Europe," was displayed at Ibrox Stadium during Thursday's match. UEFA has described the message as "racist and/or discriminatory" according to the club's statement.
"Rangers is a modern, progressive football club and we are fiercely proud of our diverse playing squads, workforce and support," the club declared in an official statement. "For the club to be charged with such a matter in 2025 is shameful and the disdain for those responsible will be shared by the overwhelming majority of our supporters."
The Scottish Premiership side now faces "significant sanctions" and is working to identify those responsible, promising they will "face consequences." The club made their position clear: "For the avoidance of doubt, if you do not believe in 2025 that absolutely everyone is welcome to follow Rangers, whether at Ibrox or away, then Rangers is not the club for you and you should disassociate yourself with the club immediately."
The banner incident wasn't the only problematic behavior cited by UEFA. The club also faces charges for objects thrown during the match and the blocking of passageways at Ibrox. Rangers addressed these issues alongside concern about missile-throwing at Sunday's Old Firm derby win at Celtic Park.
"This is becoming a regular occurrence, not just at Rangers matches but across stadia in Scotland," the club stated. They cited previous incidents, including one at a recent game with Motherwell where a Rangers supporter was injured by an object thrown toward the away section. "This senseless and criminal behavior has no place in sport, nor in society," the statement continued.
Additionally, Rangers highlighted concerns about continued pyrotechnic use despite clear warnings. The club noted that pyrotechnics were used by two individuals following Sunday's Old Firm victory at Parkhead, which "runs the risk of an additional 800 of our supporters being unable to attend a match in the latter stages of the Premier Sports Cup at Hampden, in addition to the 500 that will already miss out as a result of the use of pyrotechnics."
The club expressed frustration that these actions by a "very small minority" of supporters will have consequences for both the club and its wider fanbase, either directly or indirectly affecting innocent supporters.
