On his native island of Madeira, the Portuguese police have launched an investigation after the statue of Cristiano Ronaldo became the target of vandalism. An unknown individual set fire to the bronze sculpture and posted a video of the act on social media.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning in Funchal, near the CR7 museum. The footage shows a young man pouring a flammable liquid over the statue and then igniting it with a lighter. The flames quickly engulfed the sculpture, and the perpetrator, narrowly escaping injury from the fire, began to dance to rap music playing from a portable speaker.
The video appeared on Instagram on an account with about a thousand followers, and the author left a mysterious caption: "This is God's last warning." According to local media, this man identifies himself as a freestyle performer.
Law enforcement agencies are making efforts to identify and apprehend the suspect. So far, there is no information regarding serious damage to the statue. It is worth noting that in 2016, the monument was already relocated after a similar act of vandalism.
The statue of Cristiano Ronaldo and the CR7 museum are important tourist attractions on Madeira. The incident has sparked an outpouring of reactions and condemnation among the footballer's fans.
