Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has initiated legal action against Crystal Palace, lodging a defamation claim in the High Court on Monday. The lawsuit concerns a banner unfurled by Palace fans depicting Marinakis holding a gun to the head of Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.
CPFC Limited is named as one of the two defendants in the claim. The banner was displayed during a 1-1 Premier League draw between the two clubs at Selhurst Park in August last year.
The banner also included text stating: "Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption." Marinakis has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding such allegations.
In November 2025, the Football Association charged Palace with failing to ensure supporters did not behave improperly, offensively, abusively, or provocatively. While the banner was not specifically cited, strict rules govern messaging containing defamatory, political, and offensive slogans.