The Women’s First Team game at Maidstone United on Sunday May 25 was called off after around 20 minutes after match officials complained about a fan’s Palestine flag, as well as other fans holding an anti-genocide banner. 

Maidstone claimed on May 30 that the decision was made — in consultation with league and match officials — because the flag and banner created a “perceived risk to safety.”

As reported in the Morning Star, fans had refused to remove the flag and take down the banner. At the time, Clapton CFC released a statement saying: “Our given options were to 1) play the game behind closed doors or 2) to abandon the game. Clapton’s players chose to abandon the game. Both sets of fans then came together in solidarity with the Palestinian people, singing more songs and holding up our banners in support of trans women and the Palestine people, respectively.

“Our players and fans are united in their support and concern for Palestinians who are being bombed daily. Showing that support with a flag or banner is no reason to abandon a cup final.”

Following the London FA’s investigation it said there was no case to answer and that the flags present did not constitute a risk to safety but were there to “show support and solidarity.”

Both Dulwich Hamlet and Clapton CFC said they would be approaching the appropriate bodies about the possibility of a rematch, with Dulwich stating that they were “deeply disappointed that this was allowed to happen, and that both teams were robbed of a chance to contest London & South East Regional Women’s Football League Trophy final.”