Woman sues after Palestinian flag flap at soccer game

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Houston woman announced today she will sue the security team at the BBVA Compass Stadium and four unnamed Houston police officers.

Buthayna Hammad and Amin Alehasehem, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project, said Wednesday morning they plan to file a lawsuit in federal court.

Hammad claimed at a Honduras v. Israel soccer match she was singled out for waving her Palestinian flag. She said security personnel "detained" her and told her the flag posed a security concern because it was a "racial slur."

"Flags like this is not offensive. It's not a Nazi flag. People would consider the Confederate flag offensive. This is not a flag that symbolizes racism," Hammad said. "I almost started crying. I was very upset. I was being denied the one thing the world around us craves, freedom of speech."

Management outlines a blanket policy online, prohibiting any item "deemed inappropriate" without clearly defining what inappropriate means.

Eyewitness News legal analyst Joel Androphy says security may have a legitimate concern.

"Freedom of expression is not unlimited. You don't have the right to bring a Palestinian flag into an Israeli soccer game ... to elicit anger or violence from the ground," Androphy said.

City leaders tell us they don't comment on pending litigation.

Hammad says she wants to see cultural sensitivity training for guards, saying what looks to be just a flag could mean so much more to the person holding it.

BBVA Compass Stadium also issued the following statement in response to the incident:

"As our published guidelines specify, visitors to BBVA Compass Stadium are absolutely allowed to display flags, banners and signs, provided that they do not disturb the ability of other fans to enjoy the game or event at the Stadium. Any statement to the contrary by any Stadium employee, or any disparagement of the Palestinian flag, certainly does not represent the views of Stadium management.

While Ms. Hammad was asked to leave her seat area for a brief period (that lasted no more than ten minutes) to discuss the proper display of her flag so as not to disturb other guests, she was allowed to return to her seat and display her Palestinian flag for the rest of the event, which included the entire second half of the Israel-Honduras match."