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UPDATED: The policy that led to two fans being kicked out of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan at Perth Stadium will stand for the upcoming Boxing Day Test and Pink Test.
A banner was removed from the stands and two attendees were evicted from the venue after displaying a notice that read, “All lives are equal. Freedom is a human right”.
The message was written in the colours of the Palestinian flag, referencing the plight of Palestinians as Israeli troops continue to bombard Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 attack launched by Hamas on southern Israel.
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Sunday’s protest came after Usman Khawaja wrote the same message on his shoes and planned to wear them in the game but was banned from doing so by the ICC.
Spectators at the game wore shirts with the same expression written on them and later claimed they were forced to remove them.
Cricket Australia’s terms and conditions of entry to the venue, which are applied to all ticket holders, state patrons “will not: wear or otherwise display commercial, political, religious or offensive signage or logos”.
In the event of a violation of any of the criteria listed in the terms and conditions, the governing body is permitted to eject patrons or further, ban them from attending future events.
In a statement, Perth Stadium said the sign had been removed because it infringed Cricket Australia’s terms and conditions but the patrons were removed because they were engaging in antisocial behaviour.
“A sign was removed because it contravened Cricket Australia’s terms and conditions of entry,” the statement read.
“Some patrons were removed because of antisocial behaviour, not because of the sign.”
Both the MCG and the SCG told the Sydney Morning Herald that they would enforce Cricket Australia’s policy at their respective Test match.
Khawaja has stated his intention to appeal the ICC’s decision to classify his message as a political statement, blocking him from displaying the words on his shoes.
In an Instagram video posted prior to the first Test, Khawaja spoke of his frustration around the decision.
“The ICC has told me I can’t wear my shoes on the field because they believe it is a political statement under their guidelines,” he said.
“I don’t believe this is so, it’s a humanitarian appeal. I will respect their view and decision but I will fight it and seek to gain approval.
“Freedom is a human right and all lives are equal. I will never stop believing that, whether you agree with me or not.”
Australia won the first Test by 360 runs with the next match to be played at the MCG on December 26.
Australian Cricketers Association CEO Todd Greenberg affirmed that the players’ union would support Khawaja’s wishes to display the words on his shoes during the Boxing Day Test if he committed to appealing.
“If he wants to push a particular cause then we will support him,” he said.
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