Iranian fan’s Mahsa Amini jersey seized from stadium by Qatari police

An Iranian fan who was at the stadium holding a jersey with Mahsa Amini’s name had it seized by Qatari police during Iran’s match against Wales at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Friday. 

Iranian fans from the stadium were tweeting during the match saying that the Qatari police forcibly took the jersey from the woman and also a flag saying ‘woman life freedom’ from another man. They were voicing support for the ongoing protests in Iran against the Islamic Republic.

Also read: Who is Carlos Queiroz, Alex Fergusson’s former assistant and longest-serving manager of Iran football?

People in Iran are protesting against the Republic after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was allegedly killed in custody by the morality police in Iran for breaking the dress code for women. 

With Iran in the World Cup, it has become an important stage for the protestors to register their dissent against the regime back at home.  

Also read: FIFA World Cup 2022: Welsh fans applaud Iranian players after Wales’s 2-0 defeat to Iran

During the match against England, the Iranian players refused to sing the national anthem in an act of open defiance of Ebrahim Raisi-led Iranian government. Many reports emerged after that which said that the players have been threatened with action if they don’t sing the anthem before their match against Wales on Friday.

As expected, the players sang the anthem amidst visible hesitation even as the Iranian fans booed their own national anthem. 

Voria Ghafouri, a former Iran international who is considered a star in the country, was arrested by the police and charged for tarnishing “the reputation of the national team” and spreading “propaganda against the state.” 

The Associated Press reported that many pro-government fans at the stadium clashed with the protestors which resulted in a scuffle during the match. Insulting and abusive words were also hurled at them, as per the report.