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“Digital Hooligans” from Iran Attack Messi's Facebook

Categories: Latin America, Middle East & North Africa, Argentina, Iran, Citizen Media, Sport
Leo Messi's Facebook page

Argentinian footballer Leo Messi's Facebook page

“Digital hooligans” from Iran bombarded thousands [1] of insulting [2] and threatening comments in Persian on the Facebook page of Argentinian football player Lionel Messi [3] as the World Cup groups were determined [4] on Saturday. Argentina, Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Nigeria were polled together.

Many of the comments use very foul language [5].

Many Iranians published comments and tweets calling the cyberattack shameful.

Kargadan tweeted [6] [fa]:

Zuckerberg [Facebook's founder] and the Iranian government, should hand in hand clean out Facebook's page of Iranians to save our honor.

Sooskak tweeted [9] [fa]:

It's good that Facebook is filtered [in Iran].

Baridya tweeted [11] [fa]:

If the Islamic Republic collapsed today, it would take 15-20 years for this people's culture to improve.

Blogger 5Char published [13] [fa] a screen shot of insulting comments and says it is typical of a generation that grew up under Islamic Republic.

Another blogger, Andarbab says [14] [fa]:

These people try to make up for their inadequacy with slogans and insults. They are the same people who chant “Down with the USA” yet wish to get a US Green Card. They insult Messi, yet wish to get a souvenir fan photo taken with him.