Police in Madeira are trying to track down a man who filmed himself setting fire to the statue of Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo in Funchal before posting the footage on social media.
The incident took place next to the CR7 Museum on Avenida do Mar, where the bronze statue stands as a major tourist attraction.
The video shows the man dancing to techno music before pouring what appears to be a flammable liquid over the top of the statue and igniting it with a lighter. The flames quickly extinguish themselves, while the suspect continues dancing and appears to shout insults towards the monument.
The suspect, who uses the username “zaino.tcc.filipe” on social media, recorded the act and later shared the video on his personal Instagram account this Tuesday (January 20).
Cited by Correio da Manhã tabloid, an official source from the Madeira command of PSP police said authorities became aware of the incident on the same day and are investigating it as a case of criminal damage.
According to the source, the man is “known locally for similar incidents”.
