Support for Palestine: the Mainz club ordered to pay €1.5 million to Anwar El Ghazi

The labor court has confirmed that the Mainz 05 club will have to pay the Dutch-Moroccan striker Anwar El Ghazi around €1.5 million. This amount corresponds approximately to the remuneration he would have received for the 2023-2024 season. The court ruled that freedom of expression outweighed the employer’s interests in this case, making the dismissal without notice unjustified. An initial decision made in July had already declared the contract termination null and void, but the club had appealed, unsuccessfully.

The origin of the dispute dates back two years, when the Mainz management had decided to part ways with the player. This sanction followed Anwar El Ghazi’s publication of a message of support for Palestine, posted shortly after the October 7, 2023 attacks. Acknowledging the final judgment, the club’s executive director, Stefan Hofmann, stated that they "have to accept the court’s decision," although the management still believes that their employee’s behavior constituted sufficient grounds for dismissal.

The player’s reaction was immediate and scathing. On his Instagram account, Anwar El Ghazi said he was "grateful to the German courts for delivering justice" against what he considers "unfounded and absurd accusations." He strongly attacked his former leaders, writing that "regular defeats on the football field are clearly not enough for the club management, so they continue to demand more in German courts." Describing the club as "serial losers," he concluded his message by stating that this victory sends a strong signal to those who try to "silence those who defend justice and humanity."