PANOOR, KOMPAS.com – A man in India was arrested because he was involved in an unrest with his neighbors, because he had confused the flag Portugal installed to animate World Cup 2022 as the symbol of the party he hated.

The man also tore down the Portuguese flag from his football-mad neighbour, according to media reports AFP on Saturday (19/11/2022).

A video circulating on social media shows a man named Deepak Elangode pulling on a floating Portuguese flag, tearing it to pieces, throwing the shreds on the side of a road in the small town of Panoor, in the state of Kerala , in southern India.

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The flag was hoisted by fans of Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portugal national team. Local media reports Mathrubhumi mentions that the two men then got into a fight.

Panoor Police confirmed AFPElangode was arrested for causing public disorder, but was later released on bail.

Portugal’s red-green flag is similar to that of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), and local reports say the man has expressed his dislike of the party.

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The SDPI is the political wing of the Indian Popular Front, a religious movement that was banned in September 2022 for its alleged links to terrorism, but still enjoys strong support in communities surrounding Panoor.

The people of Kerala have a great fanaticism for football, in a country best known for cricket.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s stardom is also popular in Goa, a popular resort town colonized by the Portuguese for centuries.

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