Manchester: A number of spectators were Tuesday handcuffed and ejected from Old Trafford during the first World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand after mounting a political protest.
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The fans were apparently Sikh separatists who wore T-shirts and held banners demanding a referendum on an independent homeland to be carved out of India.
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“Ground security went into the stands and got the fans out of the stadium without much resistance and handed them over to the police,” a policeman at the ground told AFP on condition on anonymity.
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“There were four Sikh guys who were wearing T-shirts with some political message on them and it is not allowed.”
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Expatriate Sikh separatists, who want to create a homeland of Khalistan in India’s northern Punjab state, have been holding rallies in England to promote their case.
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The World Cup has witnessed other political protests during matches, with the International Cricket Council distancing itself from them each time.
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Banners reading “#Justice for Kashmir” and “India stop genocide & free Kashmir” were flown over Headingley during India’s match with Sri Lanka on Saturday.
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It followed an earlier incident when a banner reading “Justice for Balochistan” was flown over the same ground in Leeds during the game between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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The game’s governing body previously said: “We do not condone any sort of political messages at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.”
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