CNN
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4 individuals who have been attending the Australian Open have been questioned by Victoria Police after they “revealed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened safety guards,” a Tennis Australia spokesperson advised CNN on Wednesday.
“4 individuals within the crowd leaving the stadium revealed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened safety guards,” the Tennis Australia spokesperson stated. “Victoria Police intervened and are persevering with to query them.
“The consolation and security of everyone seems to be our precedence and we work intently with safety and authorities.”
Victoria Police later advised CNN that police spoke to 4 males after a Russian flag was produced on the steps on the grounds at about 10:20 p.m. native time on Wednesday in Melbourne. All 4 males have been evicted, a police spokesperson advised CNN.
Video posted on social media from tennis journalist Tumaini Carayol reveals an individual holding a flag with Russian president Vladimir Putin’s face on it. It’s unknown if these proven within the video have been any of the 4 that have been evicted.
Images shot by Getty Pictures present a person sporting a T-shirt with the letter “Z” on it whereas he was at Rod Laver Enviornment throughout Wednesday’s males’s singles quarterfinal match between Russian Andrey Rublev and Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
Tennis Australia didn’t say if the person within the images is likely one of the 4 individuals questioned by police, and a police spokesperson advised CNN she hasn’t seen pictures of the lads concerned. It was unclear when the person was first seen sporting the shirt. In one other photograph, the identical man is seen sporting a special shirt.
The“Z” symbol is seen as an indication of help for Russia, together with its invasion of Ukraine. The image has been seen on Russian gear and clothes in Ukraine.
Tennis Australia beforehand stated that followers would not be allowed to bring the Russian or Belarusian flag to the location of the Australian Open to implement its “impartial flag” coverage.
