[PICTURE] Plane flies over Headingley with 'Justice for Kashmir' banner

[Abdullah719]

Banners reading “#Justice for Kashmir” and “India stop genocide & free Kashmir” were flown over Headingley during India's World Cup clash with Sri Lanka on Saturday.

It was the second such incident at the event in England and Wales, after a banner was flown over the same ground in Leeds during last week's match between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

An insurgency in Indian-occupied Kashmir over the past three decades has left more than 70,000 dead, mainly civilians.

“We are incredibly disappointed this has happened again,” the International Cricket Council said in a statement. “We do not condone any sort of political messages at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.

“Throughout the tournament we have worked with local police forces around the country to prevent this type of protest occurring. After the previous incident we were assured by West Yorkshire Police there would not be a repeat of this issue, so we are very dissatisfied it has happened again.”

Last week's group game between Pakistan and Afghanistan was marred by clashes between fans, prompting a police probe.

The ugly scenes were sparked by the flying of a banner over the ground reading: “Justice for Balochistan.”

https://www.dawn.com/news/1492478/plane-flies-over-headingley-with-justice-for-kashmir-banner

 

[troodon]

After the match is over, Kohli will give independence to Kashmir.

 

[saeed5646]

Epic

It was always on the cards what happen in Pakistan match

 

[MenInG]

If you allow one of these then more will follow - silly of whoever did this to think that there would be no reaction

 

[sweep_shot]

Political stuffs shouldn't happen during a cricket game.

 

[tahir_dj]

Good
This is *** for tat.
You brought politics in sports now take the slap right in your face

 

[blackanhyellow]

It's a reaction to what happened in the pak-afg match.

Politics shouldn't mix with sports but after the pre-planned events and attacks that happened in the pakistan match, I can understand the need for a response.

 

[tahir_dj]

It's a reaction to what happened in the pak-afg match.

Politics shouldn't mix with sports but after the pre-planned events and attacks that happened in the pakistan match, I can understand the need for a response.

Exactly
They needed a response which has been delivered perfectly

 

[Madplayer]

Well done to whoever is responsible for this. Hisaab barabar. However, i hope that in future, sports and politics is not mixed. This should be the end of it.

 

[KingKhanWC]

I did tell you guys this was going to happen

India is a terrorist occupying state . Kashmir will be free sooner or later

 

[RameezRambo_Fan]

What goes around comes around. Also, did anyone catch the Khalistan protests during the England vs India match?

 

[Sycamore]

This one atleast is realistic and a worrying issue which the world needs to be focused on atm.

 

[Pakistanian]

They should fly a #StopSikhGenocide #Remember1984 #FreeKhaalistan banner next time.

 

[RameezRambo_Fan]

They should fly a #StopSikhGenocide #Remember1984 #FreeKhaalistan banner next time.

You mean this?

 

[MenInG]

You mean this?

Dont see thousands supporting him.

There is no place for such stuff on a cricket field or stadium.

 

[RameezRambo_Fan]

Dont see thousands supporting him.
There is no place for such stuff on a cricket field or stadium.

Well the majority of them were stopped by security. Most of them were holding banners outside the stadium. This guy along with a few others managed to hide their flags and banners. They too were escorted out.

BTW, plenty were supporting it at the London Deceleration of Khalistan.

 

[warcry]

Well done to whoever is responsible for this. Hisaab barabar. However, i hope that in future, sports and politics is not mixed. This should be the end of it.

india does not have cricketing relations with pakistan due to politics. If sport and and politics are not to be mixed, the ball is in their court.

 

[PakLFC]

India needs to know we can do the same. Good to hurt Indian feelings as well. No to opening the airspace by the way.

 

[Rellu_Katta]

i am surprised that this has happened now when the Afghanis are in the fold... cant remember (please correct me if i am wrong) any such things happening in any india pakistan games. small skirmishes here n there yes but nothing of this sort before .. can easily be down to maturity of the fans of pak and india .... the imatiruty of smaller teams will come with time ... once the win something ... without winning its all WHINNING and you could whine abt anything

 

[Saj]

Strange stuff all this.

Only at Headingley.

ICC in a state of panic.

 

[gazza619]

India has to be blamed for starting this stupidity.

 

[PakLFC]

Once more Baluchistan is not a disputed territory under the UN neither do they carry Indian flags. Kashmiris in IoK do carry Pak flags and it is a disputed territory under the UN. What part of this do Indians not understand that they compare the two?. If so Pak can bring up all other insurgencies in India as well that have nothing to do with Pak.

 

[MenInG]

In yet another incident that has political overtone, multiple aircraft flew over the Headingley stadium with anti-India banners during the World Cup match between Indiaand Sri Lanka in Leeds on Saturday.

The unsavoury incident has prompted the BCCI to file a written complaint with the ICC, raising concerns about the security of their players.

Minutes after the match began, an aircraft carrying the banner ”Justice for Kashmir” flew above the ground.

After half an hour, a similar looking aircraft flew over the stadium with a different banner – ”India Stop Genocide, Free Kashmir”.

Midway into India’s run chase, a third aircraft was also seen with a banner – ”Help End Mob Lynching”.

“This is completely unacceptable. We have written to the ICC, raising our concern about what happened in Headingley today. If this kind of incident is repeated in the semi-finals, it will be really unfortunate. Safety and security of our players is paramount,” a senior BCCI official, who is privy to the development told PTI.

This is second such incident inside 10 days as Afghanistan and Pakistan fans had clashed at the same venue on June 29 after ”Justice for Balochistan” banner was displayed by an unnamed aircraft that landed at the Bradford airport.

A few fans were evicted for engaging in brawl inside the stadium premises.

The ICC has zero tolerance for political or racist slogans and expressed their disappointment at another security breach.

“We are incredibly disappointed this has happened again. We do not condone any sort of political messages at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup,” the ICC said in a statement.

Yorkshire, in the north of England, is known for having a sizeable Pakistan population with Bradford being their ghetto.

“Throughout the tournament we have worked with local police forces around the country to prevent this type of protest occurring. After the previous incident we were assured by West Yorkshire Police there would not be repeat of this issue, so we are very dissatisfied it has happened again,” the ICC statement added.

It has also been learnt that the air space above Old Trafford in Manchester and Edgbaston in Birmingham will be turned into ”No-Fly Zone” during the two semifinals on July 9 and July 11 respectively.

The ICC has been given assurance by the Manchester and Yorkshire police authorities in this respect.

ICC’s outgoing Chief Executive Dave Richardson accepted during a recent interaction that even if they have foolproof security, it can never really be enough.

Saturday’s incident is an indication that local authorities did not do enough as the airspace is their domain.

The incident however leaves ICC on the edge since a more dangerous security breach is feared.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...anti-india-banners-fly-over-headingley-866553

 

[tahir_dj]

In yet another incident that has political overtone, multiple aircraft flew over the Headingley stadium with anti-India banners during the World Cup match between Indiaand Sri Lanka in Leeds on Saturday.

The unsavoury incident has prompted the BCCI to file a written complaint with the ICC, raising concerns about the security of their players.

Minutes after the match began, an aircraft carrying the banner ”Justice for Kashmir” flew above the ground.

After half an hour, a similar looking aircraft flew over the stadium with a different banner – ”India Stop Genocide, Free Kashmir”.

Midway into India’s run chase, a third aircraft was also seen with a banner – ”Help End Mob Lynching”.

“This is completely unacceptable. We have written to the ICC, raising our concern about what happened in Headingley today. If this kind of incident is repeated in the semi-finals, it will be really unfortunate. Safety and security of our players is paramount,” a senior BCCI official, who is privy to the development told PTI.

This is second such incident inside 10 days as Afghanistan and Pakistan fans had clashed at the same venue on June 29 after ”Justice for Balochistan” banner was displayed by an unnamed aircraft that landed at the Bradford airport.

A few fans were evicted for engaging in brawl inside the stadium premises.

The ICC has zero tolerance for political or racist slogans and expressed their disappointment at another security breach.

“We are incredibly disappointed this has happened again. We do not condone any sort of political messages at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup,” the ICC said in a statement.

Yorkshire, in the north of England, is known for having a sizeable Pakistan population with Bradford being their ghetto.

“Throughout the tournament we have worked with local police forces around the country to prevent this type of protest occurring. After the previous incident we were assured by West Yorkshire Police there would not be repeat of this issue, so we are very dissatisfied it has happened again,” the ICC statement added.

It has also been learnt that the air space above Old Trafford in Manchester and Edgbaston in Birmingham will be turned into ”No-Fly Zone” during the two semifinals on July 9 and July 11 respectively.

The ICC has been given assurance by the Manchester and Yorkshire police authorities in this respect.

ICC’s outgoing Chief Executive Dave Richardson accepted during a recent interaction that even if they have foolproof security, it can never really be enough.

Saturday’s incident is an indication that local authorities did not do enough as the airspace is their domain.

The incident however leaves ICC on the edge since a more dangerous security breach is feared.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...anti-india-banners-fly-over-headingley-866553

Well bCCI should ask its own government first why they started this before asking iCC.

They started it
And we finished it.

 

[chacha kashmiri]

Headingley should be international designated a no fly zone

 

[Haroon786]

Rightfully deserved.

 

[RameezRambo_Fan]

Banners aren't lying though

 

[LongtimeLurk3r]

Nice to keep the local economy going by contributing to the pilot's purse.

These messages don't change the reality on the ground. Also, the people who financed this appear to be quite brainless. Rather than getting back at the Afghans for what was flown in the previous match people think they've accomplished a lot by getting a plane to fly messages about Kashmir.

Net winner in all this is the guy flying the plane.

 

[MenInG]

All very distasteful.

 

[RameezRambo_Fan]

Nice to keep the local economy going by contributing to the pilot's purse.

These messages don't change the reality on the ground. Also, the people who financed this appear to be quite brainless. Rather than getting back at the Afghans for what was flown in the previous match people think they've accomplished a lot by getting a plane to fly messages about Kashmir.

Net winner in all this is the guy flying the plane.

Where is your evidence that Afghans were behind it?

 

[LongtimeLurk3r]

Where is your evidence that Afghans were behind it?

I didn't know this was a court. I would have worn my white wig... since we're asking silly questions...

What's your evidence they weren't? Given that there were fights around Balochistan between Pakistanis and Afghans I think that would make more sense no?

 

[KingKhanWC]

All very distasteful.

The people of Kashmir have been oppressed for decades because of the brutality of Indian forces. Children have been tortured and raped, others killed and buried in unmarked graves. Im sure they appreciate people highligting their cause and most Pakistanis are proud of this. I dont care about India or have any love for the nation, it's an enemy of Pakistanis and Kashmiris, so lets back this instead of calling it distasteful.

 

[gani999]

Good
This is *** for tat.
You brought politics in sports now take the slap right in your face

It was Imran Khan who brought politics into cricket by declaring way back in the 1990s that India-Pakistan cricket matches were like a jihad.

 

[Salman]

Probably the same pilot, must be laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[Saj]

Usually local restaurants use these planes for advertising. This World Cup things have gone to a new level.

 

[MenInG]

What does it take to fly an aircraft over the Headingley cricket ground in Leeds, with a banner trailing in the sky? £600 and, of course, a message to share with the world. In the last two World Cup games at the Yorkshire county ground, political message against India and Pakistan have whizzed over the ground. From ‘End mob lynching in India’, “Justice for Kashmir” to “Justice for Balochistan”, slogans have caught the attention of not just the fans at the venue but also the BCCI and the ICC.

However, the Indian board’s written complaint to the ICC is unlikely to stop the flying placards, regardless of their content. A spokesman for PrivateFly, a company that rents out private jets, told The Indian Express that “technically and legally you can charter a private aircraft and fly over regions that are not no-fly zones.” Leeds doesn’t have any restrictions on the path of aircraft. Further clearing the clouds was Chief Superintendent Steve Cotter, Leeds District commander, who, in a statement by West Yorkshire Police, confirmed they didn’t have the power to stop aerial messaging.

“In our democratic society, people have the legal right to protest, and a balance always needs to be struck between that right and the rights and freedoms of others to go about their lawful business. We had no prior knowledge of the initial flyovers on either occasion but when they were brought to our attention, we assessed the content of the messages being free speech that did not constitute any criminal offence.”

He further stated: “We also liaised with air traffic control who confirmed that the flights were legitimate and in keeping with their regulations for this controlled airspace. As such, no assurances were given by us to the International Cricket Council that any further flights would be prevented, nor would we have any legal basis for doing so.” Interestingly, along with the political messages were a couple of less-talked about banners over Leeds during the India-Sri Lanka game on Sunday – ‘Would you marry me Tamaira?’ and ‘Love cricket, Love Mumtaz, Leeds’.

While there is no word on whether Tamaira has agreed to Sam, we know this: Asad, the owner of Mumtaz, a Pakistani restaurant, is embarrassed about it all. “Zulm ho gaya bhai. Hum sharminda hai. (It was wrong. We are embarrassed.) Please tell the world that we didn’t have anything to do with those political messages and any anti-India messages. Some people are confusing and thinking since our banner went that day, we are also behind the other stuff. We are not.”

Mohammed Shami, didn’t play that game but must have smiled on seeing the restaurant’s message. Around that time, they had used a picture of Shami standing outside the restaurant with a text scribbled ‘Hoping to have Mohammed Shami and the rest of the Indian cricket team at Mumtaz Leeds after today’s match!!” The restaurant not only offers regular dining but also caters to “Mehendi/wedding/business functions” and a private function room that seats 80 people.

Asad says a friend from Bradford had done it for them that day. They have also flown over the cricket ground before. “Leeds cricket ground is a not a no-fly zone. So, we can do it. It can’t be done over Lord’s and some other cricket grounds. So, it’s not illegal to fly over the ground at Leeds,” he says. “I wish my friend hadn’t done it that day after those planes had already flown over but what to do now.”


https://indianexpress.com/article/s...t-be-grounded-police-say-their-right-5821678/

 

[aukhan]

Good job.

 

[MenInG]

The Old Trafford stadium has been made a “No Fly Zone” for India‘s semifinal clash against New Zealand in Manchester on Tuesday, an action prompted by a private plane displaying anti-India banners during the team’s league encounter against Sri Lanka in Headingley.

The decision has been taken after consultation with the local authorities here, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has informed the BCCI.

“We had clearly stated about the breach of security and also raised concerns about the security of our players. Accordingly, ECB has sent a confirmation to CEO Rahul Johri that Old Trafford air space has been turned into a ‘No Fly Zone’ for the day,” a BCCI official, privy to the development, told PTI on condition of anonymity.

On Saturday, an unnamed private aircraft flew from Bradford zone with banners like “India stop Mob Lynching” and “Justice for Kashmir” over the Headingley air space on a number of occasions during the India-Sri Lanka match.

This left ICC embarrassed as it was the second such breach of security after another aircraft flew with the banner “Justice For Balochistan” during the game between Afghanistan and Pakistan. A number of fans were evicted after a brawl inside the stadium premises, which is believed to have been triggered by the banner’s display.

Despite assurances from West Yorkshire Police that such political slogans will not be allowed as they violate ICC’s code, there was no significant action which forced the global body to express disappointment.

It is learnt that there is no restriction on private aircrafts being hired for publicity purpose. Bradford is a Pakistani-dominated region.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...for-india-new-zealand-semi-final-match-867176