Videos show Brazil rainbow flag dispute at World Cup
STORY: Victor Pereira said authorities seized his phone after he recorded a man grabbing and stomping on his flag of Brazil's northeastern Pernambuco state, which sports a rainbow, a red cross and a star.
Pereira told Reuters that the man, wearing a traditional white dress, grabbed his phone and would only give it back if he deleted the video. He said an officer then intervened and ordered him to delete it, adding that he obeyed to make sure he would get his phone back as he uses it for work.
His case made the news after he uploaded a new video on Twitter relaying what happened. Pereira's video showed local officials holding his flag after they seized it.
In a separate video shared by another witness, Pereira is seen being questioned by local officials, telling them he was a journalist and asking for his phone back.
According to Pereira, the incident took place after Saudi Arabia's shock 2-1 win over Argentina on Tuesday, as he was leaving the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal.
Qatar's World Cup organizing committee and the Qatari government's media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
