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The Timbers Army plans to protest a league ban on flags and banners bearing an antifascist symbol again at a Saturday soccer game at Providence Park.
On Aug. 23, the soccer fans remained silent for the first 33 minutes of a game against the Seattle Sounders in opposition of MLS's ban of Iron Front flags.
Related: "You Guys Fucked the Team Tonight": Timbers Owner Squabbles With Silent Fans
Despite the ban, some Timbers Army members few Iron Front flags during last Saturday's game. Those fans were issued a three-game ban by the league, the 107 Independent Supporters Trust said in a statement. (The 107IST is the nonprofit behind the Timbers Army and Rose City Riveters.)
It was not immediately clear how many fans the league has banned from Providence Park.
In response, the Timbers Army will ditch all flags and "smoke for goal celebrations" during Saturday's game against Kansas City. Instead, it plans to "use banners with words instead of symbols to remind the world of our unwavering opposition to fascism and to discrimination."
"We will continue to fight for the League to lift the bans for individuals who displayed Iron Front flags and banners on August 31," the 107IST said.
During a meeting last week, the Timbers front office said it would not issue sanctions on fans who flew Iron Front flags. The three-game ban on Portland fans was issued by MLS.
"We want to make something very clear: Our fight is not a fight with the Portland Timbers," the 107IST said. "Our fight is against white nationalists, white supremacists, and others that seek to bring hate and violence to our stadium, city, state, and country."
The Timbers Army demands that the league changes its policy on the Iron Front image, that it removes the word "political" from its fan code of conduct and that it consults with human rights experts on inclusive and anti-discriminatory language.
"In this moment of darkness, we feel obliged to rally to make the soccer community the inclusive place that the world isn't for so many of our marginalized communities here in Portland," the 107IST said. "We look forward to working with the Portland Timbers Front Office in this fight for our community."
In a statement, the Timbers front office said, "We continue to communicate with the league and our supporters on this issue."
It continued: "In the meantime, we and all clubs in the MLS need to enforce league rules, but the Timbers are committed to embracing explicit and creative anti-fascist and anti-racist expression, as we always have."