Mario Ferri, the protester who stormed the field at the World Cup match between Portugal and Uruguay, has been released without being charged by authorities, the Italian Ministry said, per BBC. Ferri ran onto the field wearing a shirt that read “Save Ukraine” and “Respect for Iranian woman” and waived a rainbow pride flag in the air.
The Italian protester was briefly detained before being released. Qatar’s Supreme Committee confirmed Ferri was released, but would also be banned from future World Cup matches.
On Instagram, Ferri explained why he ran onto the field.
“A message for Iran where I have friends who suffer, where women are not respected … THE WORLD MUST CHANGE, we can do it together with STRONG gestures, which come from the heart, WITH COURAGE,” he wrote in Italian.
“FIFA banned the captain’s armbands with the rainbow and human rights flags in the stands, they blocked everyone, BUT NOT ME, like a Robinhood 2.0 I brought the message of the PEOPLE. We want a free world that respects all races and ideas.”
People in Iran have been protesting the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who died from injuries sustained in police custody after improperly wearing her headscarf. Iran players chose not to sing their national anthem ahead of their first match vs. England.
Additionally, captains at the World Cup who planned to wear rainbow armbands as a way to protest Qatar’s human rights laws were told they would be given a yellow card before the start of their match. Ferri also said that he had a personal connection to the war in Ukraine with Russia, which is why he wanted to say something.
“SAVE UKRAINE. I spent a month at war in Kiev as a volunteer and I saw how much those people are suffering,” he said. “WE WANT PEACE.”
