Argentina announced Friday that visiting soccer fans who taunt home teams by destroying Argentinian currency will be penalized with jail time, according to BBC News.
Argentina cracks down on football fans who tear up money to taunt locals https://t.co/qhSqFyJIOe
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 11, 2023
Individuals who tear up or burn the Argentinian peso will be punished with up to 30 days in prison as the country faces immense inflation, the outlet noted. (RELATED: Thousands Of Argentines Go Ballistic After Lifting Husky Fan Up To Celebrate FIFA World Cup Glory)
It has reportedly become common for foreigners from other South American countries to tear up or burn Argentinian pesos while attending soccer games to tease the struggling nation, the BBC noted. Fans from Brazil and Chile sports clubs are reportedly particularly responsible for this practice.
Destroying the country’s currency is considered “incitement to quarrel” at a sporting event and “provocations that will disturb public order,” which is against existing laws, according to the BBC.
The annual inflation rate of Argentina passed 100% for the first time since facing hyperinflation in the early 1990s. This rate has been increasing rapidly for the past few years, reaching 115.6% in June, according to Argentina’s statistics agency cited by BBC.
The central bank introduced a new 2,000-peso note in February when the value of the 1,000-peso note fell to $2.70 on the alternative markets. Argentina’s current currency was worth one U.S. dollar when it was introduced in 1992. However, a financial crisis in 2001 and 2002 caused its initial fixed rate to be abandoned.