A Spanish couple on their honeymoon in Singapore have been detained after protesting against the Singaporean owner of the football club they support. Dani Cuesta posted photographs of himself outside the home of Peter Lim, the billionaire owner of Valencia CF, holding a banner criticising the business magnate. Mr Cuesta and his partner Mireia Sáez were stopped while trying to leave Singapore airport on Friday and had their passports confiscated, Valencia Mayor María José Catalá told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
It is unclear what charges the pair face, if any, but the matter will be resolved later on Wednesday, the BBC understands. Singapore has some of the world's strictest laws on public assembly, which includes assemblies even of one person. The government says these laws are necessary to maintain order and safety.
In 2020, a Singaporean activist who had long campaigned for freedom of speech was arrested for posing with a placard of a smiley face . Shortly after arriving in Singapore on Thursday, Mr Cuesta posted on X that he would “take some photos with my lovely flag”, which reads "Lim Go Home". Mr Lim is deeply unpopular with Valencia fans, who have seen their club's fortunes decline significantly over the course of his ten-year tenure.
Encouraged by users online, Mr Cuesta posted a series of photos of himself at various tourist spots in Singapore holding the yellow banner. Another image shows him outside what is believed to be the luxury complex where M.
