Goldsmiths Rugby Club wears Palestinian flag with pride

Goldsmiths Rugby Football Club, part of the Goldsmiths University Students Union, has revealed its new kit, featuring the Palestinian flag.

A statement accompanying a photo on the rugby club’s Facebook page said:

We’re excited to reveal our new kit which features the Palestinian flag, as part of our SU’s continued commitment to supporting BDS. We’re hoping through our work with Goldsmiths Palestine Society – GSU PalSoc this year we can encourage more societies and clubs to endorse and raise awareness about BDS.

In a joint statement, Goldsmiths SU and the rugby club said:

As part of the Students’ Union’s commitment to supporting BDS (Boycott Divestment and Sanctions against Israeli Apartheid), the Goldsmiths Rugby Team decided this year to include the Palestinian flag on their kit, in support of the Palestinian people.

Students at Goldsmiths have actively shown their support for Palestine over a number of years, and in democratic forums have repeatedly passed policy either in support of Palestine or BDS.

Sport should be unifying and played without borders by all, and this is exactly the point of the campaign. We believe that the privilege we have in the UK to play sport without borders is not one available to the Palestinian people, and this action is a reminder.

National Union of Students (NUS) vice president Shelly Asquith described the new kit as a “great show of solidarity with Palestine.

Great show of solidarity with Palestine 🇵🇸 from Goldsmiths rugby team. 🏈 https://t.co/jmAZ0A25gF

— Shelly Asquith (@ShellyAsquith) September 14, 2016