Spurs fans told to leave Star of David regalia at home

Italian authorities on Friday denied reports that Milanese police had told Tottenham fans coming to watch their side in Champions League action at Inter Milan on Wednesday not to bring Star of David banners.

The star is a traditional club symbol extending beyond religious connotations – though the London side do have a solid base of Jewish fans.

According to the Tottenham website, “the police authorities have advised that those flags showing the Star of David will not be allowed access and may be confiscated. Please respect this request.”

But, via Milanese local politician Emanuele Fiano, the police denied issuing such a specific instruction.

“The Milan prefect, Gian Valerio Lombardi, with whom I have spoken, has denied that any Italian police authority has made any stipulation against banners bearing the Star of David,” Fiano said.

“I note as much with satisfaction, as otherwise I would have gone to the stadium myself with a Star of David flag,” he added.

The Star of David flags have an association with Spurs going back to the club’s early days in the 1880s.

News that the banners would not be welcome angered the chairman of the Maccabi Italia association of Jews in Italy, Vittorio Pavoncello, who the ANSA news agency quoted as saying that the police might do “better to ban those who insult this symbol”.