The Buenos Aires City government and police on Wednesday erected barricades around the city's famous Obelisk monument in anticipation of potential rowdiness during the Argentina-England World Cup semi-final.
The towering landmark is a traditional site of celebration for raucous football fans, but the decision to protect the monument is a first for the 2026 edition of the tournament.
The unusual move follows Argentina's 3-1 victory against Switzerland on Saturday, which prompted thousands of jubilant supporters to gather around the Obelisk until early the next morning. Police ended up dispersing the crowd using rubber bullets.
Roads adjacent to the monument will also be closed to traffic during Wednesday's match pitting Argentina against its old foe England.
Businesses around the capital have shuttered as shopkeepers fear potential trouble on the streets, which are decked out in blue and white to support the national team.
The match kicks off at 4pm local time, with the teams meeting in Atlanta in the United States.
'Pirate' jibe
Stoking the tensions further, Vice-President Victoria Villarruel called the English "usurping pirates" in a post on social media.
"Tomorrow we play against the usurping pirates. It's not just another match," Villarruel said in a post on X.
"I'm not going to be politically correct or keep a cool head – it's always something more against the English," Villarruel, who is technically Argentina's second-in-command but is estranged from President Javier Milei's government, wrote.
"It's the Malvinas, it's Diego, it's Leo's last run, and it's about stopping the invaders in their tracks," she continued, referring to the late football legend Diego Maradona and current star Lionel Messi.
"Go Argentina! Because until our very last breath, we will keep claiming what is ours!" she wrote, echoing a popular anthem sung by Argentine fans during the tournament.
Villarruel's father fought in the 1982 War between Argentina's military dictatorship and the UK over the South Atlantic islands, whose sovereignty remains contested.
The 74-day conflict ended in a British victory, leaving 649 Argentines and 255 Britons dead.
The vice-president's remarks stand in stark contrast to those of Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and several players, who sought to play down the political and historical significance of the match.
"It's a football match, plain and simple. So, mixing the two would be madness," Scaloni said.
On Tuesday, Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva said that under the security plan for the semi-final in Atlanta fans would banned from bringing flags or other items referencing the Malvinas Islands into the stadium.
Government video
The provincial government of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands shared a post on its social media channels just hours before the match stating that "The Malvinas Islands were, are and will always be Argentine.”
The video, which lasts almost two-and-a-half minutes, features the ‘March of the Malvinas’ playing in the background throughout and includes footage of both the Malvinas Islands and the cities of Ushuaia and Río Grande.
“There are symbols that cannot be left out. From Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands, we hold an unwavering conviction, inscribed in our geography and in the hearts of an entire people. The Malvinas were, are and will always be Argentine,” continued the message.
– TIMES/AFP/NA
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