WATCH: Olympics Spectator Removed After Ripping Taiwan Supporter’s Banner

A security member removes a banner showing the name "Taiwan" from a fan in the audience du
Arun SANKAR / AFP via Getty
Olivia Rondeau

A spectator at the Paris Olympics was removed from the stands at a badminton match after snatching a banner that read “Go Taiwan” from a woman while she was being confronted by security for brandishing the name of the forbidden country.

While Taiwan, officially named the Republic of China (ROC), does compete at the Olympics, its athletes bear the label of “Chinese Taipei.” They cannot wear the Taiwanese flag or play their own national anthem. 

Banners with the flag or name of Taiwan are prohibited from being displayed during the Olympic Games, CNN reported.

While conflicting reports have been published by CNN and Reuters on who was actually ejected from the match, it appears that a woman waving a green banner that read “Go Taiwan” had her flag stolen and ripped by an angry male spectator, leading to him being escorted out by security. 

Before the man snatched away the woman’s flag, the nearby security guard appeared to have been communicating with someone over his radio to see what to do about the banned banner. 

An X post made by Italy-based Chinese influencer Li Ying shows the moment a man in a pink shirt and red hat attempted to block the pro-Taiwan banner with his body before ripping it away from the woman’s hands:

He was promptly removed from the stadium, but CNN originally reported that he was the fan brandishing the green banner — which was in the color of Taiwan’s pro-independence party. 

Other Taiwanese flags have also been spotted at the Olympics:

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “strongly condemns the crude and despicable means of malicious individuals ruthlessly snatching the ‘Go Taiwan’ slogan,” in a statement obtained by the outlet.

“This violent act is not only uneducated, but also seriously violates the civilized spirit represented by the Olympic Games. It also violates the rule of law and infringes on freedom of speech,” the ministry added.

Francois Wu, referred to as Taiwan’s “de facto ambassador to France” by CNN, said he has reported the incident to local police.

“Thank you to the students who have worked hard to cheer for our badminton heroes! Come on Taiwan,” Wu wrote alongside a picture of himself and the woman who carried the banner in a Facebook post viewed by the outlet.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams responded to the incident by citing the Olympics’ rules for spectators, which state that “only flags of countries and territories participating in the Games are allowed.”

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.