Qatari Police Confront Female Fan Wearing 'Woman, Life, Freedom' T-Shirt at Iran Match
An Iranian soccer fan has told Storyful his sister was forced to change out of a t-shirt reading “Woman, Life, Freedom” before she was allowed to watch the Wales vs Iran match in Doha, Qatar, on Friday, November 25.
Kevin Amirehsani said he and his sister, Kiana Amirehsani, were attempting to enter the Wales vs Iran match at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium when they were stopped by police.
In a video from the stop, Kevin can be heard telling police: “Take it to storage? Wait, wait, wait, we have nothing else to wear. What do we wear?”
Kevin can be heard saying: “The same exact t-shirt was worn at the last match,” referring to t-shirts reading “Woman, Life, Freedom” – a slogan used by women’s rights protesters in Iran and abroad – that he says were worn at the Iran vs England clash on November 21.
He told Storyful: "They eventually gave her a different Iran football shirt and made her put her original t-shirt and two “shir o khorshid” variations of the Iran flag in lockers." The “shir o khorshid” flag was used in Iran before the 1979 revolution and depicts a lion and the sun.
Kevin and his sister were eventually allowed into the stadium to watch the game, he told Storyful.
Iran International reported that Iranian broadcasters censored footage from the November 21 match where Iranian players remained silent while the country’s national anthem was played. Fans at the match also waved “shir o khorshid” flags, the outlet said.
Storyful has reached out to the Qatar Supreme Committee for comment on this incident. Credit: Kevin Amirehsani via Storyful
Video Transcript
[CHATTER]
- I've got this other one.
[CHATTER]
KEVIN AMIREHSANI: Take it to storage? Wait, wait, wait. We have no-- we have nothing else to wear. What do we wear?
[CHATTER]
[INAUDIBLE] them all and buy a t-shirt. The same exact t-shirt was worn at the last match. That-- you're on England match. People wore the same exact t-shirt.
[CHATTER]
Yes. Yes.
- [INAUDIBLE]
KEVIN AMIREHSANI: I'm sorry?
- [INAUDIBLE]
KEVIN AMIREHSANI: Yeah.
- I've got this other one.
[CHATTER]
KEVIN AMIREHSANI: Take it to storage? Wait, wait, wait. We have no-- we have nothing else to wear. What do we wear? [INAUDIBLE] them all and buy a t-shirt.
- [INAUDIBLE]
KEVIN AMIREHSANI: The same exact t-shirt was worn at the last match. No. That-- you're on England match. People wore the same exact t-shirt.
[CHATTER]
Yes. Yes.
- [INAUDIBLE]
KEVIN AMIREHSANI: I'm sorry?
- [INAUDIBLE]
KEVIN AMIREHSANI: Yeah.
