Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court allowed spectators to use tifo—large banners usually used by football fans across the world to cheer for their teams or highlight political statements—during the Durand Cup semi-final match at Salt Lake Stadium on Tuesday.
Football fans had moved the high court after Bidhannagar Police issued a notification, restricting the use of tifo during the semi-final match between Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Bengaluru FC.The notification by the Bidhannagar Police commissioner stated, “...No tifo or drums, smoke candles or other inflammable materials will be allowed inside the stadium during the said match.”
The word ‘tifo’, which is of Italian origin, was new to the court. One of the advocates representing the petitioners explained what the word meant and its historical significance. “Tifo, a word of Italian origin, is a choreographed display in which fans in a sports stadium raise a large banner or simultaneously hold up signs that together form a large image,” he explained to the court.
Senior standing counsel Amitesh Banerjee argued that tifo was disallowed as it could obstruct the view of other football spectators, leading to problems.
Earlier, the match between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan was cancelled, anticipating unrest due to protest by individuals and organisations against the rape and murder of the PGT doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital. Despite the cancellation, supporters from both the clubs had assembled, seeking justice for the deceased. Though no remark on the protest was made during the hearing of the case on Tuesday, during the proceedings, the senior standing counsel repeatedly said words on tifo should be related only to the game of football.
Appearing for the fans, senior advocate Sabyasachi Chatterjee said they were not contesting the restrictions on drums, smoke candles or inflammable materials but objected to the prohibition on the use of banners. “Mere words cannot be a threat to security,” he said.
On Jan 19, 2020, fans of East Bengal had registered their protest against CAA and NRC by unfurling a tifo stating, “Rokto diye kena mati, kagaj diye noy (we got land with blood, not with documents).”