Tension over a Palestinian flag in the south curve of the Unipol Domus, during the match between Cagliari and Salernitana.

In the first half, a young season ticket holder displayed the banner of the Gazan people, to demonstrate solidarity with those who have been living (and dying by the thousands) under Israeli bombing for months.

But that flag couldn't fit. Not because it was pro-Palestine, but because, like the banners, it had to be authorized, according to the stadium regulations. In theory it should have been screened at the turnstiles, but the boy managed to take it with him by passing the controls.

A steward asked for the banner to be removed. At first the young man agreed, then he replaced him. So another intervention from the steward was necessary but this time the boy's reaction was much less conciliatory.

Digos officers arrived in the stands and took the young man away. He has proven to be very recalcitrant towards identification procedures. So much so that the police had to use force to make him return to more lenient advice: no violence but a decisive intervention, in the face of vehement resistance.

According to some testimonies, someone tried to film the scene with a smartphone, but the police prevented him from doing so.

Now the police station will have to decide whether to proceed with a complaint against the fan.

Enrico Fresu

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