Ana Garcia Martins Faces Online Attacks After Publicly Announcing Benfica election Vote
lisbon,โข Portugal – October โค25, 2023, 11:05 AM WEST – Influencer Ana Garcia Martins is experiencing a surgeโค ofโ online harassment following her โdisclosure of herโ intended vote โinโฃ the upcoming Sport Lisboa e Benficaโ presidential elections. The attacks, โoccurring โacross social media platforms, began after Martins revealed โคher support for Joรฃo Noronha Lopes, one of the candidates vying for the club’s leadership.
The controversy underscores โthe โintense passion surrounding Benfica’s elections โand the โincreasingly polarized climate within its fanbase. While expressing a political preference is commonplace, Martins’ case highlights the potential for significantโค backlash when public figures โคalign themselvesโ with specific candidates.โ The incident raisesโ concerns โขabout the safety and well-being of individuals who engage in politicalโข discourse โคonline, particularly within the context ofโ deeply-held affiliations like those associated with major โsports clubs. benfica members willโ cast their votes on October 27, โข2023,โ to determine the club’s next president.
Martins detailed the harassmentโ on herโฃ socialโ media accounts, stating she โhas been subjected to abusive messages andโ threats. She has notโฃ publicly disclosed the โspecific nature โof all threats, butโข confirmed the volume of negative responses โhas been significant.
The Benfica elections pit Noronha Lopes against Rui Costa, the current president seeking re-election. The outcome will shape the โฃdirection of one of Portugal’s most prominent football clubs, impacting everything from player acquisitions to stadium advancement and overall club strategy.โ
Correio โคda Manhรฃ reports that the โclub has not yet issued a statement regarding the attacks on Martins,โ but is monitoring the situation.โข The publicationโค notes its policy of immediately deleting commentsโ that violateโ its guidelines and automatically hidingโค all comments one week after publication.
