World Cup pitch invader with rainbow flag says he is free
The activist who ran onto the pitch at the World Cup in Qatar on Monday carrying a rainbow flag says he is not in custody.
“No legal consequences, I am free,” Italian Mario Ferri wrote on his Instagram page on Tuesday, thanking everyone for their support.
He entered the pitch during the match between Portugal and Uruguay and was taken away by stewards.
The messages “Save Ukraine” and “Respect for Iranian Woman” were written on his T-shirt.
The rainbow flag appeared to have the word “peace” written on in Italian and is a common sight in Italy.
However, rainbow colours have caused controversy at the World Cup because they are a symbol of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community and same-sex relationships are illegal in Qatar.
World football’s governing body FIFA prevented seven European captains from wearing a multi-coloured armband at the tournament because it might offend the hosts. (dpa/NAN)
