- Tottenham travel to Galatasaray for their Europa League clash on Thursday night
- Seven were killed with 20 people injured in an attack in Ankara in late October
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Tottenham have been in liaison with the British embassy in Turkiye to warn travelling fans of the heightened tensions and police presence in Istanbul since the latest terror attack in the country.
Seven were killed and more than 20 injured in an armed attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries headquarters near the capital Ankara on October 23.
More than two thousand Spurs fans are travelling to see them play Galatasaray in the Europa League on Thursday and there are concerns about possible flashpoints caused by any combination of the stresses from the terror threat, war in the Middle East, and the North London club’s Jewish heritage, which features in songs and banners, on top of the usual football rivalries.
Spurs have warned those with tickets to be patient and prepare for security searches as they enter the stadium.
They have also reminded fans of their flag policy ahead of the game at Rams Park. All flags must be pre-approved by Galatasaray and the local police and have a fire certificate.
Tottenham are set to face Istanbul-based Galatasaray on Thursday night’s Europa League tie
Spurs fans have been warned about the club’s flag policy – which prohibits any banners ‘of any political or religious affiliation’
The match comes less than a month after an armed attack in the Turkish capital of Ankara
‘The club has always considered that a football match is a time to show allegiance to a football team first and foremost,’ states the Spurs advice on flags.
‘A football match is not an appropriate arena to display flags of any political or religious affiliation or anything that could possibly be considered inflammatory – this can include national flags during times of political conflicts, campaigns or issues.’