Friday 25 November 2022 12:23 PM Pro-regime Iranian fans hunt anti-government supporters outside Qatar stadium trends now
Pro-regime Iran fans hunted down anti-government supporters and attacked them outside a stadium in Qatar on Friday, ahead of their team's 2-0 World Cup victory over Wales.
Several political issues have cast a shadow over the tournament, with the turmoil of the Iranian people becoming a particular focus during both their matches - against England on Monday, and Wales today.
Unlike in their first match against England, the Iranian players sang along to their national anthem before the match against Wales, as some fans in the stadium wept.
Supporters wave Iranian flags and hold up a sign reading 'Freedom for Iran, No to Islamic Republic', ahead of the World Cup group B soccer match between Wales and Iran, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Friday, November 25
But there we ugly scenes outside the stadium, where some pro-government Iran fans confiscating Persian pre-revolutionary Iranian flags from supporters entering the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. They also shouted insults at those wearing shirts with the slogan of the country's protest movement: 'Woman, Life, Freedom.'
Small mobs of men angrily chanted 'the Islamic Republic of Iran' at women giving interviews about the protests to foreign media outside the stadium.
Shouting matches erupted outside the security checkpoint at the stadium between fans shouting 'women, life, freedom' and others yelling back 'the Islamic Republic'.
Many female fans were visibly shaken as Iranian government supporters surrounded them with national flags and filmed them on their phones.
One 35-year-old woman, Maryam, who, like other Iran fans, declined to give her last name for fear of government reprisals, started to cry as shouting men blowing horns surrounded her and filmed her face up close.
She had the words 'Woman Life Freedom' painted on her face.
Pictured: An Iranian fan stages a demonstration inside the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium - holding up an Iranian football shirt displaying the name of Mahsa Amini and the number 22 - her age when she died while being held by Tehran's morality police. Protests have swept the nation since, resulting in the deaths of hundreds
An Iran fan holding a shirt in memory of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman who died, aged 22, in the custody of the country's morality police in the capital, Tehran
The Iranian fan appeared to be confronted by official inside the Qatari stadium on Friday
Pictured: The same woman is joined by another Iran fan holding an Iran flag that says 'Woman Life Freedom' - what has become slogan of the Iranian protests
Another woman, Vanya, 21, who lives in Qatar, said she is terrified to ever go back to Iran after what she experienced outside the stadium on Friday.
'I'm genuinely afraid for my safety here,' she said.
A group of fans wearing hats emblazoned with the name of the Iranian former soccer player Voria Ghafori, who was arrested in Iran on Thursday, said they had their hats stolen by government supporters.
'It's obvious that the match had become very politicised this week. You can see people from the same country who hate each other,' said Mustafa, a 40-year-old Iran fan. 'I think the arrest of Voria has also affected society in Iran a lot.'
Some fans said stadium security removed items with messages in support of the protest movement.
Ayeh Shams, from the US, who was at the game with her brother, said security guards confiscated her flag because it had the word 'women' on it.
Pictured: An Iranian fan waves his country's flag during his teams match against Wales, Friday
Some Iranian fans unveiled a banner saying 'We Love Iran' at their second group match
'We're first-generation American. Our parents were born in Iran. We're just here to enjoy the games and give a platform for the Iranian people who are fighting against the Islamic regime,' Ms Shams said.
Some anti-government fans waved signs in support of the protest movement at Iran's first match against England earlier this week.
Before that game, Iran's players remained silent as their national anthem played.
On Friday, they sang along - albeit without much enthusiasm. It was reported on Wednesday that Iran's footballers had been warned by officials in Tehran they face retribution for their 'insulting' decision not to sing their national anthem on Monday.
But as the anthem played, many Iranian fans jeered, booed and whistled.
Iran fans hold up a shirt advocating for women's rights prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and IR Iran at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 25
Pictured: Two Iranian fans wear t-shirts that read: 'Woman. Life. Freedom.' ahead of today's clash with Wales. Iranian fans have used the world cup to show their solidarity with anti-government protesters at home
A woman shows the words "Woman, Life, Freedom" written on her hand in Farsi language, ahead of the World Cup group B soccer match between Wales and Iran, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Friday
Fans in the stands also displayed slogans supporting the protests, drawing particular attention to human rights issues and the plight of women.
Qatari authorities took particular issue with one female fan, who had painted her face white – with bloody tears pouring out from her eyes.
She held up an Iranian football shirt displaying the name of Mahsa Amini and the number 22 - her age when she died. It appeared one stadium security guard confronted her over her demonstration. It was unclear if she was removed.
The unrest in Iran has been spurred by the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country's morality police.
It first focused on the state-mandated hijab, or headscarf, for women, but has since morphed into one of the most serious threats to the Islamic Republic since the chaotic years following its founding.
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By Christian Oliver for MailOnline
Iran's football team sang their country's national anthem ahead of
