World Cup fans searched for pride flags ahead of final group match
Qatar: Fans searched for pride flags ahead of final group game
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Football fans in Qatar faced heightened security on Tuesday night after a pitch invader disrupted Monday’s match between Portugal and Uruguay. England fans heading to their final group match against Wales were stopped for thorough checks of their bags and any banners or flags they were carrying. Witnesses claimed the World Cup security teams were “aggressive” and speculated that the rainbow flag displayed by the pitch invader had prompted a crackdown on prohibited banners and symbols.
In a video of the security process filmed by fans in Qatar, England supporters were apprehended by stadium security as officials checked paperwork relating to huge St George’s flags.
A man filming the security intervention reported: “What’s happening is in order to get a flag over a certain size in, you have to get permission – which is fine, it’s what we have done for ours.
“I think it’s more about the security guys have been pumped up – I gather there was a flag on the pitch yesterday.”
He added: “They’re being quite aggressive so people are getting upset.”
Pitch invader Mario Ferri disrupted play on Monday night as he sprinted across the field waving a rainbow flag.
The protester wore a T-shirt with “Save Ukraine” emblazoned across the front and “Respect for Iranian women” on the back.
Stewards quickly intervened and Ferri was removed from the pitch. The Italian Foreign Ministry later confirmed Ferri had been released by Qatari authorities following a “brief detention”.
Qatar’s Supreme Committee revealed Ferri had been banned from attending any of the future matches in this year’s World Cup tournament.
Read more: Qatar officials realise mistake after fan with penis on shirt stopped
The Qatar World Cup has already come under much scrutiny for the censorship of symbols aligned with LGBTQ+ rights.
Footballers in the tournament were pushed to abandon plans to wear rainbow OneLove armbands after FIFA threatened to impose sanctions on players.
Former Wales ladies captain Laura McAllister reported her rainbow bucket hat was confiscated by security ahead of the Wales-USA group match.
In an interview with German media, Qatar World Cup Ambassador Khalid Salman described homosexuality as “damage in the mind” and emphasised that all visitors are expected to “respect our culture”.
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Alongside the focus on LGBTQ+ rights, the ongoing unrest in Iran has taken centre stage in the World Cup.
Ahead of their opening match against England, Iran’s players declined to sing their national anthem.
Widespread protests have rocked the strict Iranian regime, prompted by the death of 22 year old Mahsa Amini who was arrested by morality police for reportedly breaching strict rules on public vieling.
Football’s global governing body FIFA have encouraged all 32 teams involved in the World Cup to “focus on the football” amid the atmosphere of controversy surrounding the tournament.
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