Several football clubs in all leagues have decided to censure displays of solidarity with the Palestinians.

French police have detained Nice’s Algerian defender Youcef Atal over a social media post on the Gaza war, accusing the footballer of “justifying terrorism,” according to local media. 

The French Nice-Matin daily reported that the 27-year-old defender was arrested for “provoking racial hatred on grounds of religion”.

Atal, who was suspended last month by the French club over social media posts on Palestine and investigated by officials on suspicion of endorsing terrorism, will now stand trial on 18 December for alleged incitement to religious hatred.

The Algerian international was released on a bail of $87,500 on Friday and placed under judicial supervision pending trial. He would not be allowed to leave France except for international games.

Despite apologising for the alleged anti-semitic social media post which, according to a report by Al Jazeera, was presumed to have been a reposting of a video from a Palestinian preacher that called for violence against Jewish people, Atal is one of several footballers receiving punishments for standing in solidarity with Palestine. 

Earlier this month, German football club Mainz 05 terminated Anwar El Ghazi’s contract over social media posts related to the footballer’s solidarity with Palestine. 

The German club published a brief statement saying: “The 1st FSV Mainz 05 ends the contractual relationship with Anwar El Ghazi and terminated the player on Friday with immediate effect.”

“With this measure, the club reacts to the player’s statements and posts on social media,” the statement added. 

Similar to Atal, El Ghazi was suspended last month after one of his now-deleted Palestine posts stressed the phrase “from the river to the sea”, referencing a popular slogan calling for the freedom of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. 

Mainz called El Ghazi’s post “unacceptable”.

“In the post, El Ghazi stated an opinion on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that was deemed unacceptable by the club. Prior to making this decision, the club and the player had engaged in an in-depth discussion,” Mainz said on their channels.

The Dutch footballer has appeared to remain unfazed despite the termination of his contract and vowed to continue standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing deadly Israeli aggression.

“Stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone,” he wrote. “The loss of my livelihood is nothing when compared to the hell being unleashed on the innocent and vulnerable in Gaza,” the 28-year-old added.