Kerala police take down social media post after getting caught in football fan rivalry
In its bid to ride the wave of FIFA World Cup frenzy and draw a few eyeballs to its social media handles, the Kerala Police
In its bid to ride the wave of FIFA World Cup frenzy and draw a few eyeballs to its social media handles, the Kerala Police never anticipated becoming collateral damage in the ongoing online crossfire between Argentina loyalists and their detractors on social media. The post featured a uniformed officer with his arm draped over the shoulder of a human-sized Kerala map beside a football ground. The imagery, evocative of a referee about to send in a substitute, seemed innocuous at first glance. Shared on the eve of Argentina’s quarter-final clash against Switzerland last week, what exposed it to interpretations by football fans was the reflection of a real referee and a No. 10-clad Argentine player.
Intended to convey that just as referees control proceedings on the pitch, the police have law and order in the State under their control, the post assumed a different meaning against the backdrop of widespread allegations that FIFA favoured Argentina. It was dubbed as Kerala Police trolling Argentina. Anti-Argentina fans gleefully amplified it, while die-hard supporters of the Albiceleste vented their fury in the comments. Though the post was deleted within ten minutes, it had already raked up nearly 9,000 views and 300 comments on Instagram, and 5,300 views with 1,400 comments on Facebook. Screenshots continue to circulate among rival fan groups, and Argentina supporters have lodged complaints with the Chief Minister, Home Minister, and State Police Chief against the alleged slandering of Argentina.
On social media, the trolling war has escalated between Argentina fans and those they dismiss as “Argentina haters,” particularly after other major contenders exited the tournament. “This was inevitable once Brazil and Portugal, both with massive followings in Kerala, were eliminated. Their fans appear to have joined forces against Argentina. The opposition seems intense this time, as they seem unable to stomach the idea of Argentina winning back-to-back titles,” said T.M. Abhinad, an admin of a popular football troll collective. He added that while banter is welcome, memes laced with racist undertones or outright abuse are being taken down.
Salih, who manages the Malappuram Argentina Fans WhatsApp group, noted that memes are flying thick and fast between rival camps. “The main charge is that FIFA is biased towards Argentina, which is nothing but a case of sour grapes. There seems to be an axis of Brazil, Portugal, and France fans working against Argentina,” he chuckled.
The BriefWire