A statue of shamed football star Dani Alves put up in his honour in his Brazilain home town has been vandalised as he faces rape charges.
The 40-year-old Barcelona and Brazil player’s statue was pictured with his head covered with a black trash and sealed with tape in Juazeiro on 7th September.
Alves has been in prison for almost eight months in Barcelona, Spain, where he is a accused of raping a woman in a local nightclub.
If found guilty, Alves, who denies rape, could face up to 15 years in prison.
The life-size statue honouring Alves, who was born in Juazeiro, was put up in the city in December 2020, a year before he was arrested in Spain.
The sculpture is located in the Vaporzinho – Saldanha Marinho neighbourhood, in the centre of Juazeiro.
In photos shared on social media, the player’s statue is seen with a black plastic bag on its head wrapped tightly with parcel tape.
His brother, Ney Alves, took to social media to protest.
He said: “Just a reminder that my brother is awaiting trial, and the question is: What if he proves his innocence?
“What if he is acquitted? What will we do? God bless and protect us.”
City Hall officials say locals removed the plastic bag and tape themselves.
By around 4:30pm on 7th September, the statue had been restored to its original condition.
According to the police, no official reports have been filed so far.
